Strategies for Overcoming Post-Summer School Depression
The return to school after a long summer break can be a challenging time for many children and adolescents. This period often brings about feelings of anxiety, which can manifest in various ways, such as persistent anxiety, physical symptoms like stomachaches or headaches, clinginess, avoidance of school activities, and poor participation in class. These behaviours go beyond normal first-day jitters and may persist for weeks.
To help manage back-to-school blues, here are evidence-based strategies that parents and caregivers can implement:
Establish and maintain consistent routines
Creating predictable morning and evening schedules with set wake-up times, meals, and bedtime can help children adjust to the new school routine. It's also beneficial to turn off screens an hour before sleep to reduce anxiety and improve rest.
Encourage open communication
Ask open-ended questions to help children express their fears and feelings. Offering validation and reassurance that nervousness is normal can make a significant difference in helping children feel more comfortable and honest about their feelings.
Watch for physical symptoms as signs of anxiety
Frequent visits to the nurse for stomach or headaches may indicate deeper concerns needing attention. Encouraging children to communicate their feelings can help identify the root cause of these physical symptoms.
Support organizational skills
Help adolescents develop study routines and organize their personal space to reduce stress and improve mood. This can be achieved by setting up a designated study area and establishing a system for managing homework and school supplies.
Encourage physical activity
Regular exercise or movement time can act as a stress reliever and improve mood, sleep, and academic performance. Encourage children to participate in sports, dance, or other physical activities they enjoy.
Stay connected with the school
Communicate with teachers and counselors about your child's anxiety or struggles so they can provide additional support. This can help create a supportive environment for your child during the school year.
Teach coping strategies
Help children recognize anxiety symptoms and practice simple techniques like deep breathing or mindfulness to manage stress. These techniques can provide immediate relief and help children develop long-term coping mechanisms.
Seek professional help if needed
If anxiety symptoms worsen, persist, or lead to dangerous behaviours, consult a pediatric mental health professional for guidance. Early intervention can help children develop effective coping strategies and prevent the escalation of anxiety disorders.
In addition to these strategies, validating and normalizing the emotional experience of going back to school can help children feel more comfortable and honest about their feelings. Encouraging children to reflect on their summer experiences through journaling, colouring, making a scrapbook or photo album, or talking about what they are looking forward to in the new school year can aid in emotional processing.
Open-ended questions like "What was something hard and something fun that happened today?" can facilitate low-pressure moments of connection. Inviting children to share what changes or decisions would foster their confidence can help make the back-to-school transition more manageable.
The back-to-school period can cause feelings of anxiety in both parents and children. Easing the transition from summer break to school nights with gentle structure, such as gradually reinstating routines and planning small comforting rituals, can make the shift more manageable for everyone. Encouraging children to choose new school supplies, decorate their desk, or pick extracurriculars can help them feel empowered.
School prep can be turned into a fun and collaborative activity by letting children pick out school supplies, decorate their lunchbox, or splurge on a fancy planner. If the back-to-school blues or emotional shifts persist beyond the first few weeks of school, reaching out for extra support from school counselors, pediatricians, and licensed therapists may be necessary.
Open conversations about the upcoming school year can help both kids and parents stay grounded and manage their feelings. Online therapy for teens and parents is available, offering flexible and convenient support without the need for commutes, waiting rooms, or carpools. Talking about emotions and naming what children are feeling can help make those feelings feel less scary.
If you're concerned about your child's anxiety or back-to-school blues, remember that you're not alone. Specialized online therapy for ages 13-17 is available for children experiencing back-to-school blues or deeper emotional issues. Keeping communication open throughout the fall can help children feel heard and seen, encouraging them to open up, ask for help, and trust their own voice.
- To further help adolescents who struggle with anxiety during the back-to-school period, seeking professional help from a licensed therapist offering online therapy might be beneficial.
- Mental health is as important as physical health, and in instances where depression or anxiety persists, it's crucial to consult a psychiatrist for guidance.
- The health-and-wellness sector continues to evolve, with science playing a significant role in developing evidence-based strategies for addressing children's mental health concerns, such as incorporating mindfulness and deep breathing exercises in their daily routine.
- In addition to traditional face-to-face therapy for children, mental-health support can be found online, providing an accessible and flexible option for those who may find it challenging to attend in-person sessions.
- During the back-to-school season, it's essential to approach the topic of mental health with openness, validating the feelings of both children and parents, ensuring that everyone feels heard and supported throughout this transition.
