How to Deal With Back to School Anxiety

As most moms when the beginning of the school year approaches, there is a lot to plan for. You must make sure that your child has everything that they need in order to prepare for a brand-new semester, in addition to changing your daily routine and managing your mental health.  This is the best tips that I can give you as a former teacher. 😉

Transitioning from the easygoing summer months to the beginning of the school year is no easy feat. The stress of getting things ready for your children can cause back to school anxiety. The best way to avoid it is by being prepared. In this blog post, I list several reasons why we have this issue and tips on how you can tackle the new school year with confidence! 

Managing Anxiety 

If you look up anxiety in the dictionary, it is described as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Several factors such as stress, social pressure, and financial difficulties can cause it. The best way to tackle that uneasiness is by practicing deep breathing. Find a quiet room in the house and sit with your eyes closed, focus on breathing through your nostrils. Practicing this before you start your day will help put you in a better state of mind.  

Meditation is another great way to stay calm throughout the day. The best way to practice this is by giving yourself 10 minutes of complete silence. Allow yourself to think positive and peaceful thoughts. This will help you mellow out and focus.  

Don’t Panic 

When you are stressed or are experiencing anxiety, your children are watching. That is why it is important to make sure that you can keep everything in check. It is possible that your child may mirror those same behaviors.  They are the ones that look to you for encouragement and as a parent, we want to reassure them that everything will be okay. Sometimes it can be a challenge with the increase in workload and the busy schedules. But it is possible to reduce that anxiety and take it easy on ourselves.  

Organizational Skills 

The first step at preparing for the upcoming year is by introducing organizational skills that will help your child keep track of their schedule. Being organized is a great way to take care of the things that need to be accomplished on a weekly basis. Be sure to invest in a planner for students who are starting middle school, high school, or college.  It is the best way for them to keep track of their weekly schedule.  Doing this will teach them time management skills.  Sometimes these skills are not taught in the classroom that’s why it is important to teach them at home. Teachers will more than likely expect them to know how to manage their schedules.   

Emotionally Prepare

Be sure to talk to your child about any worries that they may have regarding the new school year. They may have concerns about different school- related issues such as new teachers, making new friends, fitting in or being away from home. Having open communication with your children will make them feel comfortable about taking on the new school year. Once you can address these concerns and provide guidance, they will slowly be able to ease into the new semester. 

If you have young adults that are heading off to college take the opportunity to talk with them about the peer pressure that they may experience on campus. It can be easy to be influenced by the wrong crowd. It is also important to talk to them about being aware of their surroundings.  

Arrange a Playdate 

For mom’s with younger children, it will be helpful to arrange a playdate with other kids at school before the new fall semester. Seeing a familiar face will make them feel more comfortable and it will put their mind at ease. As a bonus, it will allow you to talk with another parent about their transition.  

Keep an eye out for signs of a serious problem 

It is normal for children to experience some anxiety about starting a new year but sometimes it can develop into prolonged anxiety. If they are experiencing a loss of appetite, problems with sleeping, isolation, tantrums or intense headaches; it means that they have a more serious issue.  It is best to take your child to a licensed professional if the behavior goes on for two weeks.  

Back to School Shopping Deals

It can get overwhelming to shop for new items before the school year begins. The best way to tackle this is by creating a budget and to create a list of everything that your child needs. It is not necessary to break the bank. August is the best month to go shopping because they offer back to school deals! Coupons are also an ideal way to save money in the process. You can look for them in magazines and Sunday newspaper coupons such as RedPlum andSmartSource.Stores also offer coupons for school items! Be sure to look for coupons in brands such as Bic, Kleenex and Post- It.  

You can also buy markers and paint supplies from Michaels and Jo-AnnFabrics. These stores offer discounts and coupons every week. They have offered deals for up to 25 % off your entire purchase and 40% for a regular priced item. Visit the websites of both stores for more details. 

Helpful Apps

Sometimes the days can get chaotic and these apps are a good way to help your child stay on track!  Download these to your phone to navigate the school year with ease. 

myHomework is an app that can help them track assignments, projects, tests and more. This app also allows them to receive due date reminders and offers homework widgets.  It is a great way to help them stay organized.

Another great app to use which can be a lifesaver for moms is Cozi. This app allows you to coordinate and communicate the family’s schedule. It keeps track of activities, grocery lists, and allows you to plan for dinner. A great feature of this app is that it has a family journal.  Cozi is designed to keep the family on the same page! 

For lunch preparation, LaLa Lunchbox is perfect. It acts as a virtual food library and it allows your children to pick out their lunch. It offers categories such as fruit, veggies, protein, and snacks. The best part is that it is curated by a dietician. Parents can also customize the food options that are shown in the library to diets such as gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.  

Morning Schedule Tip 

The last thing you want to worry about in the mornings when getting ready for the school day is figuring out what to wear or where your child’s belongings are. To save time it will be better to pick out an outfit the night before and pack all your child’s things in their backpacks.  It will also leave you some more time to eat breakfast as a family!  

Academics

As you get ready for the school year, it is important to help your child know what is ahead academically. It can help your children mentally adjust and prepare for the school year in addition to helping them feel more confident. Talk to them about their classes and their new schedule. It is also beneficial to help them get involved by having a conversation with your kids about what they are looking forward to at the beginning of the school semester. Help them set goals for what they hope to accomplish which will boost their confidence. Speak with teachers beforehand to understand what to expect in their classes which can help them along the way. 

Sleeping Schedule 

 Adjusting your child’s sleeping schedule will help in the end. Depending on the age group of your children, the hours may vary. For children who are starting pre-school and elementary school, it is best to make sure that they are getting enough sleep. After being out of school for the summer, it is easy for their sleeping schedules to become irregular.   

According to the National Sleep Foundation, preschoolers need about 11- 13 hours of sleep, elementary school kids need 10- 11, high school teens need 8- 9 and college students have an average of 6-9 hours a night. It is important to wake your younger children up a little bit earlier in the morning so that they can get used to the new schedule especially at the beginning of the year. By doing, this they will get tired enough at night when it is their bedtime.  Make sure to practice a week before school so that they can get adjusted to their new sleeping routine.

Turning off electronics

Make sure to turn off all electronics before bedtime in the household. If your children are constantly on their cell phones, IPad or other electronic devices at night, it will disturb their sleeping patterns. The blue light from the screen can delay the functions of the melatonin, which is the sleep hormone. By limiting your screen time before you go to bed, it will help your child go to sleep faster and they will not stay up all night.  

Meal Prepping 

Meal Prepping is one of the easiest ways to save time and money throughout the week. One meal-prepping app that I truly enjoy is Meal -Line! Meal -Line is a company that delivers food by professional chefs to your door. They offer a flat rate of $19.99 per person, which includes the cost of the food. This price covers the meal planning and preparation, grocery shopping and delivery fee.  

There is also the option of doing the meal prepping yourself at home. The best way to find meal recipes is on the Pinterest app. It offers a lot of ideas on how you can prepare your meals during the week. If you have a large family or a busy schedule, meal prepping is a lifesaver!     

Take a Load Off

It is okay to take a break in the middle of all the back to school prep. Trust me, I know it can get tiring! Schedule a day at the spa. Go see a movie or relax with a nice glass of wine. It is okay to unwind, and it doesn’t mean that you are neglecting your kids. There is nothing wrong with spending a little time with yourself. You deserve it!           

Overcome Social Media Pressure 

Social media is often fun to use but sometimes it can be damaging to your mental health.  It can cause you to compare your life to others and it makes you feel pressured to look perfect excel at everything that you do.  As a mother, you may look at another mom’s Instagram and think that she has it all together.  When we view these perfect images, we don’t always know what is going on with the people that we follow behind closed doors.One thing that I have learned about social media is that people only post the highlights of their lives.  

 The best way to overcome social media pressure is by taking short breaks whenever you need to. You can do this by uninstalling the apps from your phone and keep them off for as long as possible until you are mentally ready to get back on them again. Another way is to limit the amount of time that you spend each week on the apps as well. Choose the best options that work for you. 

These are all the ways that you can overcome back to school anxiety. I hope that you and your family have a pleasant school year!  

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