Prioritizing Mental Health as a New School Year Approaches

Summer is winding down and the school year is just around the corner!

Though an exciting time for many, the seasonal shift can also bring up feelings of uncertainty or anxiousness. Looking ahead and mentally preparing for the upcoming school year can help set a positive tone for your child’s academic journey.

Here are some recommended tips from Wellpoint Care Network’s school-based mental health therapists:

• Review the yearly school calendar​ and make note of dates like parent-teacher conferences, closures or holiday celebrations.
• Organize school supplies. Make sure your child has everything they will need, including notebooks, pens, pencils, calculator, etc.
• Attend open houses and/or meet the teacher opportunities. It’s important that your child is familiar with their surrounding and feels comfortable, especially if it’s a new school setting.
• Talk through school day schedules and expectations. Plan out the time you will leave each morning, pick up time, study time and any extracurricular activities. Having a schedule can help you and your child manage time most effectively and reduce stress.
• Set bedtimes and wake-up times to make sure your child gets enough sleep and has time to get ready in the morning without rushing. Make sure your child is eating breakfast or has access to breakfast to start each day.
• Start practicing routines ahead of time, where possible. Make sure your child knows how they’ll get to and from school every day. Practice the trip together if there’s a change from last year.
• Review school safety protocols to plan how you and your child will respond if there’s an emergency​. Talk with your child about recognizing “strange or unusual behavior.”
• Ask your child how they’re feeling about the new school year. Listen to concerns, validate their feelings and reassure them that difficult or conflicting feelings are normal responses to change. Reinforce to your child that they can come to you with any issue, big or small.
• Practice mind and body regulation techniques together. Breathing exercises, rhythmic movement and sensory engagement activities can help reset our nervous systems when we get overwhelmed or need to redirect our energy.
• Brainstorm with your child about other trusted adults they can ask for help when they need it. Caring connections go beyond the immediate family!
• When the school year starts, get ready the night before. Pack up backpacks and pick out outfits so that in the morning, you don’t have to rush around.
• Make sure to have a good breakfast so your child’s brain and body are ready to learn and won’t be physically or mentally tired. You can make food ahead of time, then just heat it up in the morning. Scrambled eggs keep well in the refrigerator and pancakes can be frozen and quickly warmed up.

Taking care of you and your child’s mental health is crucial for a successful school year. While these tips can be helpful, additional help may be needed.

Wellpoint Care Network offers a variety of therapy options to help you and your child truly thrive this upcoming school year. To learn more, click here.