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Tips: How do Deal with School Stress

Getting ready to go back to school can be an exciting but stressful time of the year. Here are some tips on how to help your child with back to school stress:

  • Be Present and a good listener
    • Open ended questions
    • Listen to what their concerns are, but resist the urge to “fix” an issue
  • Rehearse and prepare
    • Visit the school ahead of time
    • Make getting school supplies a fun event
  • When school starts
    • Develop a routine and schedule
    • Give yourself plenty of time to get to school to not add to the morning stress
    • Get great sleep the night before a school day

Oregon has recently passed a law allowing children to take “mental health days,” similar to other sick days at school. This is a positive, student-led step forward. It normalizes that mental health challenges are nothing to be ashamed of, that addressing anxiety and depression, stress or grief is as normal as being seen for a broken foot. We do need to be mindful that the more we avoid a stressful situation, the bigger the anxiety becomes, and our avoidance patterns set in, making our world smaller and smaller. Other remedies should be explored if there are issues of interpersonal conflict, bullying, school anxiety that may be keeping a student from attending school.

The Wellness Center at Vista is also offering Mindfulness Classes for Kids

Also, check out Ryan Scott, PhD’s TV interview on Oregon’s new law allowing children to take mental health days at school: