From mid-August through early September, the sun will be setting on summer in households throughout the country. The transition from the long lazy days of summer vacation to the hustle and bustle of the school year can be daunting — but it doesn’t have to be.
The beginning of the school year can be marked by anxiety, overwhelm, and the back-to-school blues — a malaise that can arise in students as they transition from 24/7 free time back to the constraints of the school year. But the back-to-school blues doesn’t only impact young students; it can impact their parents, too. Some parents get so used to the feeling of having their children with them all day that they, too, need some time to readjust. Even if they’re eager to miss the constant company of their children, many parents still struggle with getting their students organized for a new school year, leading to unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Preventing the blues is as simple as a little pre-planning, and there are a handful of ways to keep everyone in high spirits heading into the new school year. Some may need to schedule one Saturday morning ahead of the school year to get everybody organized. Others may need to adjust their household’s sleep schedule a week before the first day. To help your family get their groove back, we have compiled 10 tips to combat the back-to-school blues for everyone in the household.
Shift your mindset
During the summer, the mindset may have been revelry and relaxation. The school year requires a vibe shift that includes limits around free time, strict bedtimes, and homework. Help your family get off on the right foot by shifting their mindset in advance and reminding them that you are collectively reentering a season of focus and productivity. This could look like having a family meeting or a discussion over dinner where you speak frankly about what the school year will bring.
This could also be an opportunity to prepare little ones to start school for the first time. They may not understand yet what a full day of school will be like, that they’ll be going it alone, and that it will happen each day, Monday through Friday. Give them the opportunity to express any trepidation or confusion they may have, and be prepared for any first-day tears (from both of you).
Get organized
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take time before the school year starts to get your household organized. This could involve double-checking school supply lists, confirming schedules, updating calendars, and coordinating carpools. Getting organized could also mean isolating areas in the house for your students to drop their bookbags when they come in, file away paperwork for you, or sit and do their homework.
Adjust sleep schedules
This may be an unpopular opinion among any students in your home, but now is the time for the return of “bedtime.” Adjusting sleep schedules at least a week before the big first day could make that first official morning alarm sound much less harsh for the students in your house.
Meet your student’s teachers and friends
This advice is an ongoing effort, not just for the beginning of a new school year. Once you learn who your student’s teachers, coaches, and extracurricular activity organizers are, introduce yourself and begin a clear line of communication. Taking the lead like this helps your child stand out, potentially gives better context on who your child is, and shows you’re invested in your child’s life and that you keep a watchful eye over who is in their world. This also applies to friends and informal people who may encounter your child; take the time to know who your child considers a friend and meet their parents as well. They may roll their eyes when you ask to speak to a parent before letting them go over to that sleepover, but it’s so much better to be safe rather than sorry.
Get their syllabus
While most would not advocate intervening this way at the college level, for grade school students, getting a copy of the class syllabus could be an excellent way to keep up with your student and help keep them on track. You’ll also know what topics are coming up and can bolster your student’s learning by imparting what you know, planning a related activity, or leading them to more content on the subject. If your student is a senior or older teen you think is ready to handle this on their own, give it a try for a grading period and amend your involvement accordingly.
Set reasonable goals together
Last school year may not have been their best. Perhaps their grades were lower than anyone hoped, or their behavior slipped at certain times. It happens. A new school year is a blank canvas, in a sense. Sit down and help your student identify reasonable goals. Rather than aiming to earn all A’s, the goal might be to improve their understanding of class material overall, which will be demonstrated through improved test scores and homework grades. Setting goals is also a way to harness and maintain any good habits or success your student is already exhibiting.
Go over family safety protocols
The start of a school year, when you’ll be separated from your loved ones for roughly eight hours or more a day, is a great time to remind everyone of your family’s safety protocols. Go over their end-of-school routines and what to do if anything out of the ordinary occurs. Remind them who they should expect to pick them up and what to do if someone else shows up unexpectedly.
Don’t think knowing what to do is common sense; spell it out. It isn’t enough to tell them once or even a lot. Every chance you get, remind your students how to stay safe and alert, allowing your family safety protocols to become like mantras your children can rattle off with ease because they hear them so often. You don’t want them to hesitate if and when something goes down.
Limit cellphone use and social media
Both cellphones and social media can be beneficial for a student. They can also be terribly distracting. Before the school year starts, establish some boundaries and restrictions everyone can agree with. It may also be a good idea to suggest your older teens do a social media cleanse where they audit their posts and followers and delete what doesn’t serve them. They should get into the habit of doing this early, especially as they start applying to colleges and first jobs.
Give them things to do outside of school
The final days of summer won’t be so hard to get through if your student remembers there’s more to life than school. The school year often aligns with various activities, sports, hobbies, and service groups your student may be interested in. So while August or September may mean a return to school, it could also be a return to karate or ballet. Having extracurricular activities is also a way to help foster confidence; participating in something outside of the classroom demonstrates firsthand for your student that their value is more than any one thing. They aren’t just a student; they’re a dancer, a young actor, a budding poet, or video game whiz. They are whatever they want to be, and it helps to know they have your full support.
Know when it’s more than back-to-school blues
While back-to-school blues is extremely common and to be expected, watch out for any signs of severe anxiety or depression. Some students may be deeply worried about returning to school for a host of reasons (cliques, social media drama, safety concerns, etc.) and may benefit from therapy or further assistance in adjusting. Change can be difficult for anyone, especially young, growing minds.
Kay Wicker is a lifestyle writer for theGrio covering health, wellness, travel, beauty, fashion, and the myriad ways Black people live and enjoy their lives. She has previously created content for magazines, newspapers, and digital brands.
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