SCHNECKSVILLE, PA (August 15, 2018) – “Back to School” is more than a tagline for late-summer advertising – it also notes a potentially stressful time for kids. According to experts at KidsPeace, parents can help their children make a smoother transition from summer to the classroom by recognizing and addressing emotional needs tied to heading back to school.
In the latest episode of the “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast (https://www.kidspeace.org/back-to-school-tips-cwk009), therapists Adrienne Pauling and Michelle Callahan give perspectives on how kids process the transition back to school. The therapists offer six suggestions for parents to help their kids make a successful transition:
- Develop a sleep routine. Start kids going to bed earlier and earlier each night until they have worked up to their typical school sleeping times.
- Have the kids eat a balanced diet. During school, kids won’t have access to snacks and sugary things that they typically may have access to during the day at home.
- Cut back on “Screen Time.” Setting boundaries with video games, TV, tablets, etc., will help prepare kids for the school routine.
- Help them get organized. Have supplies ready prior to the first day of school. Follow the suggested list that many school districts put out so that your child does not have to feel anxious or worried that they do not have what they need.
- Empathize! Kids need to feel supported and encouraged, no matter how trivial their concerns/fears may seem. Knowing that their parent/caregiver is there for them and willing to listen is so important during this often difficult transition.
- Stay involved! Know your child’s teachers, daily schedule, etc. Take advantage of apps and websites that schools provide to keep you “in the know” of what is expected of your child daily.
The “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast offers insights and perspectives from the experts at the leading provider of mental and behavioral health services for children. The podcast is available on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and iHeartRadio, as well as on the KidsPeace website.
For more than 135 years, KidsPeace has been building on its expertise to give hope, help and healing to children, families and communities throughout the United States. Through its comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services; unique psychiatric hospital and foster care and community-based programs, KidsPeace is dedicated to helping people connect, transform and overcome their challenges to ensure a stable future, transition to adulthood and gain independence. Since its doors opened in 1882, more than 200,000 children have participated in one of the multitude of programs KidsPeace offers.
For additional resources or more information on how to get involved, become a foster parent or make a donation, please visit www.kidspeace.org. Follow us at www.facebook.com/kidspeace.org or on Twitter @KidsPeace.
Information Provided By:
Robert Martin
Director of Communications
