Mental health matters.

Often unseen and untreated, child and adolescent mental health struggles can greatly impact their ability to learn and develop. Research tells us there is a strong link between students’ mental health and their academic success. The first few months of school can be a nerve-racking time for kids, whether it’s a child’s first day as a kindergartner, a transition to middle or high school or just the end of a carefree summer. It’s normal for children to feel anxious about these changes. Here’s how you can help your child return to school in a healthy manner.

· Talk to your child: Encourage your child to share their feelings about being back in school. Acknowledge their worries, make them feel heard and inform them it’s perfectly normal to feel anxious about returning to school. Having frequent conversations about the importance of sharing hard feelings helps nurture future conversations.

· Establish routines: A consistent routine encourages a sense of safety in children. Developing a regular sleep schedule, eating nutritious meals, and setting aside time for homework, after school play time and relaxation activities can help children adjust to the rhythm of the school year. Often time, young children require a great deal of assistance in learning to manage a new schedule. As a parent, you can help reduce your child’s anxiety by modeling confident and calm behavior and by creating structure in their family life, i.e., mealtime, homework, and bedtime routines.

· Prepare in advance: If possible, attend any “back to school” orientations, parent-teacher conferences or meet and greet activities generally offered by schools throughout the year. Meeting school staff, locating classrooms, lockers, cafeteria facilities, and becoming familiar with the school’s layout can help students feel more confident as they move through the school year. It can also be helpful to prepare for tomorrow’s school day the night before by setting out clothes, pre-packing lunches or organizing backpacks. Preparation like this can often reduce morning jitters and help start the day in a positive manner.

· Friendships matter: Facilitate after school interaction with classmates and other friends to rekindle old friendships and make new ones. Social relationships can make the transition smoother and more enjoyable.

· Teachers matter — maybe even more than you think: Teachers get to know their student’s family through the student’s eyes. They get to observe how a student behaves without their parent(s) present. Parents can obtain good information — information which they may not obtain elsewhere, from having frequent interaction with their child’s teacher. Information about learning difficulties, peer relationships as well as emotional and behavioral growth can help foster mutual problem-solving efforts. Teachers are allies. Strong parent-school relationships have been shown to increase academic achievement while at the same time reduce anxiety and stress. Good questions to ask include: How is my child doing? Do you have any concerns about their social or academic skills? Do you think they need my help with anything?

Bottom line. Talk to your child about their feelings often enough to develop a habit. Like with anything, the more you do it the easier it becomes, and the end result is a well-adjusted and emotionally healthy child.