James Donaldson on Mental Health - Talking to Kids About Back-to-School Worries

Take worries seriously Remember, issues that might seem silly to you can be very serious to your child.

Worrying they won’t have any classes with friends, seeing a former crush in the hall, finding out they have another class with a teacher who “Hates me!” — all of these can be sources of real stress.

Instead of brushing worries away, take care to validate kids’ feelings and give them opportunities to talk about what’s troubling them.

Asking open-ended, non-judgmental questions can help kids open up, and make it easier to share worries.

“I can’t believe you’re starting 5th grade this year.

How do you feel?” “Are you excited to be back in school?

Talk about the good stuff Anxiety can be consuming for kids, blocking out good memories and casting a dark cloud over the upcoming year.

But big, empty statements of encouragement (“I bet you’ll love it!”) can fall flat.

Instead, try asking them about concrete things they’ve enjoyed in the past.

Helping your child remember some of the good parts of school — activities or classes they like, favorite teachers, friends they’ve missed over the summer — can help fight negative thoughts and temper stress.