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Back-to-School Success

Tips for Parents and Caregivers to Nurture Your Child’s Mental Health

Heading back to school can be a significant time of transition for teachers, parents, caregivers, and children alike. As a parent or caregiver, navigating your child’s return to the classroom can be daunting as you strive to provide them with the best possible support system.  

An inter-disciplinary team of clinicians at Kinark Child and Family Services (Kinark) has put together some guiding principles or tips to help you nurture your child and support their mental well-being during this potentially challenging time.  

Keep reading to learn more about how you can prepare for success this back-to-school season! 

Prepare ahead of time 

One of the simplest steps you can take that our clinicians suggest focusing on is preparedness. Starting to plan for your child’s return to school as early as possible can allow for a more gradual transition and avoid scrambling at the last minute, causing unnecessary stress and anxiousness for everyone involved.  

  1. Think about getting your child’s sleep schedule back on track, allowing enough hours of sleep based on your school’s start time and when they will need to wake up in the morning can set your child up for success during the day. 
  1. Take the time to review your child’s school website and the associated school board’s website for important information and any updates that you and your child need to be aware of. 
  1. Assist with getting your child organized in terms of supplies, scheduling and expectations, such as using an agenda or the calendar app on their phone to keep track of important dates. 

A balanced diet/nutrition 

Managing water intake and maintaining healthy nutrition to fuel our bodies and minds is another important aspect that can have a major impact on your child’s well-being. From planning out pre-packed lunches, providing a balanced breakfast in the morning before school, and a nutritional dinner when they return home, we understand this can be a challenge to manage.  

For families that may need additional support in this area, there are food security programs and food banks in place across Ontario that can assist you: https://feedontario.ca/about-us/find-a-food-bank/. Your child’s school may also participate in a Breakfast Club of Canada program, which provides nutritious breakfasts at the school in the morning before class.  

Stress is not always a bad thing 

Monitoring your child’s stress levels is always important but is especially necessary during times of change. Children, like adults, experience stress, however they often lack the tools or vocabulary to express it appropriately. 

When you are monitoring your child’s stress levels, understand that there is a difference between negative stress and positive stress. Positive stress (eustress) is a powerful motivator, even when we may have some nervous feelings – eustress can inspire us and allow us to perform better. When things start to topple into the negative stress (distress) side, we tend to get more symptoms of anxiety (e.g., upset stomach, irritable mood, avoidance, etc.). There is a threshold where stress moves from a positive motivator, to having a negative impact on our health and well-being.  

Reach out to Kinark if you notice your child is presenting with signs of anxiety beyond the first few days of school. 

Check in with your child 

One of the biggest aspects of support you can offer your child during the back-to-school transition is to simply talk to them; checking in on how their feeling and normalize and validate those thoughts and emotions they are experiencing. 

Think about how you have felt starting a new job or new activity – it’s okay to feel nervous! It happens to all of us from time to time. Remember when you are talking to your child that all feelings are valid and let them know that they are not alone in their feelings. 

Check in with your child after their school day but be mindful that it has been a long day for them, and they may or may not have much to say. Ask something concrete, rather than broad (e.g., “what was something funny that happened today?” rather than broadly “how was your day?”). What would they like to see the same/different about the next day? What can they do to make changes (if applicable). 

If your child is experiencing frustration or big feelings about transitioning back to school, help them to focus on things they have control over. We can’t control other people’s reactions or behaviours, what teacher we get, or where our locker might be. But we CAN control how we react to these big feelings such as choosing to take deep breaths, engage in mindfulness activities, and other healthy coping responses rather than yelling or hitting.  

If you need support with additional coping strategies, Kinark is here to help! 

If they’ve had a hard day, be sure to remind your child (and yourself!) that every day offers us a fresh start and most importantly, they are not alone. From the team at Kinark, we hope that your family has a smooth return to class this year! 

 
Helpful school resources: