Navigating new situations can cause anxiety in adults, so imagine how change impacts children with a lot less life experience. Even a child who is excited about school likely still has questions about things like making new friends or how to perform well academically.
And although the back-to-school season may be hectic and it’s a hard time to slow down for a chat, there are education-expert-approved tips to make the process smoother for your child and, hopefully, yourself.
Affirm the range of emotions your child may be experiencing
Even if your child attends the same school as last year, a new school year usually results in many changes, and your child will likely look to you for comfort.
Melissa Collier-Meek, an associate professor of psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, told Business Insider that parents should “expect there to be some concerns or questions and validate them.”
Collier-Meek recommended parents approach conversations centering around their children’s questions or concerns with excitement, but also understanding.
Develop a school-friendly schedule for your child
Whether your child has grown accustomed to late-night sleepovers with friends during summer camp or has gotten extra video game time in the mornings over the summer, it’s important to talk with your child about how their schedule and routine will change when the school year begins.
“Routines are extremely helpful for children,” Collier-Meek said. “Think about what their morning or evening routine will be like during the school year, and perhaps start to embed some of those routines.”
Collier-Meek also told Business Insider that not only developing a new routine but actually beginning to practice it ahead of time can help children adjust to the new aspects of the schedule they’ll be adopting with the new school year.
“Think about what the morning routine or the evening routine will be like during the school year, and perhaps start to embed some of those routines as the summer closes out so that this child is prepared, whether that’s a certain bedtime, how breakfast is done, or how they are expected to more independently organize themselves,” Collier-Meek said.
Find ways for you and your child to form connections to their school community
While you might have a well-thought-out plan to ensure that your child is forming connections within their school community, it’s equally important for you to build connections with your child’s educational community.
“I think it’s very important too for parents to make sure that they are connected with their children’s teachers,” Annette C. Anderson, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Education, told Business Insider.
“Showing up to school-wide events, showing up with your students to community events, making sure that your child is engaged and knows the teachers and knows the staff, and that you know them, too — all of those things are going to be really critical, not just at the elementary school level, but all the way through to 12th grade,” she said.
Collier-Meek agreed that helping your child find community can help ease the transition into a new school year and said, “Build those in-person connections, if that’s possible.” Collier-Meek also suggested fostering connections for kids by scheduling in-person play dates with other students so that children know they can find a friendly face whether they’re in class or the lunch hall.
“If there are opportunities to go to a school picnic or an orientation, or even just walk by the school, take advantage of those opportunities just to make new spaces or people more familiar,” Collier-Meek said.
Encourage your child to start thinking about life beyond the school year
If your child has reached the point in cognitive development where they can envision their goals and future life, it may not be too early to start having those conversations.
“I think it would be really helpful for parents starting the school year with their children to have conversations about where they want their children to end up, what path they’re on, and what support their district and school communities can offer them,” Anderson said.
Anderson said it’s important that parents talk with their students about the various career options they have to choose from — including those in technical fields — and that having those conversations before high school is also crucial.
Even with the best preparation, back-to-school season can still be overwhelming. It’s OK if your child still has questions or concerns they want to discuss with you, but starting to have these conversations before the school year starts sets you both up for success.
