Move Beyond Back-to-School Stress

 

Summer vacation ends with the first RING of the school bell, yet for many students it's not just the end to relaxing days, it's the beginning of major change and stress. Back to school stress is a common emotional reaction that every child must deal with from elementary through college years. Most kids transition through this adjustment within a few days to a week and settle in for the challenges of the school year ahead. However, it's getting more common to see children developing stress related disorders that affect their sleep, diet, energy, and mood. In extreme cases it’s possible that this buildup of emotional pressure can grow and lead to other problems like anxiety, depression, and social phobias. Thankfully there are several things that you can do as a parent or teacher to help a child move from feeling overwhelmed by back-to-school stress to feeling excited about academic success.

Here are some strategies to guide you in helping your son or daughter to get past back-to-school stress. The formula is easy to remember because it spells out the word, "S.T.R.E.S.S." and following it will take this normal pressure off your child so that they can quickly focus on using the strategies to build back-to-school success.

 

 S- Schedule

This is an essential part of building stability and is the best place to start. Move everything possible to get things in your home onto a regular and structured schedule. This especially includes sleep time for kids of all ages, along with regular mealtimes, homework time, worship time, goof-off time, play time and on and on. The key here is to structure the most important things first, so in case some of the lower priorities are missed, the main and most important issues are addressed in keeping your home environment the most stable and peaceful place possible.

T- Talk

One of the worst questions to ask a school-age child is this worn-out line; "So, tell me what you learned in school today?" Instead, develop some basic questions about the back-to-school stress that is facing them ahead of time so that you can figure out the best way to discuss the fact that things are moving along quickly for them in lots of ways. Create an environment that will be dedicated to open and honest discussions rather than one that has generic answers to poorly worded questions. By formatting questions ahead of time, you will begin to see positive change and growth slowly replacing negative fears and stress.

 

R- Rest

Back to school is a challenge and for some kids, the daily disciplines are a continual challenge of deadlines, seemingly endless tasks and not feeling as if they fit in anywhere. Taking time to rest the body and mind with calming music, play time with pets, or physical outdoor activity helps to not make every waking second about homework, class assignments, and daily chores. The most focused work comes when we know how to maintain the timing of scheduled rest to maintain positive energy within our soul to move forward in strength.

E- Equip

This strategy is about building in regular times to help a child develop confidence and physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual strength. Equipping includes being able to help a child say 'no' because they are self-disciplined on issues that require learning or action towards positive change. Children who are well equipped tend to launch out into the world and accomplish early success because they know how to work hard, yet to keep things in balance.

S- Strengthen

Anxiety and pressure tend to grow in direct proportion to how in control, or how out of control we feel at the time. More stress = less control; less stress = greater control of the guidance needed to move your child from stress to success in the days ahead. Take the time to understand your child's strengths and then the time to build on those qualities. Work directly on a plan to break generational patterns and consciously move to a new level of strength and peace.

S- Spirituality

Even when you can't be there for your child, they can find comfort within their own spirituality . Regular prayer, meditation, and breathing can mean a world of difference for both you and your child when dealing with back-to-school stress. Be sure to incorporate routine spiritual activities to aid your child in their daily walk of life.

 

About the author: Dwight Bain is a Nationally Certified Counselor and Life Coach specializing in finding strategic answers to complex situations. He is the founder of The LifeWorks Counseling Group and has been in clinical practice since 1984. For more practical resources, www.lifeworksgroup.org.

Redistribution Notice

The author has given you permission to copy and redistribute this material in print or electronically if you believe that it will help others in your family, workplace, church, or community; providing that you include the following statement- For more information about positive strategies on solving conflict, managing major change or rebuilding after a crisis, contact the LifeWorks Group at 407-647-7005 or visit http://www.LifeworksGroup.org/