There are a variety of emotions and thoughts that occur when going back to school. From being excited to be back on a routine to finding it hard to believe that summer is over, there are stressors, changes and unknowns that impact mental, relational and behavioral health for both parents and teachers when school begins.

While the challenges can be different for parents than they are for teachers, there are tools available that will benefit both groups. “At the very core of good mental health is the tool of mindfulness. This is a term that is tossed around frequently but a simple meaning is being fully aware in this moment of what is going on around me and inside me,” said Virginia Dohms, LPC, LPCC, Trinity Health Behavioral Health.

Effective parenting and education require constant awareness of the children. Meanwhile, according to Virginia, adults can slip into routines or patterns without being mindful of their own thoughts, feelings and actions. Without mindful awareness, parents can find themselves repeating behaviors, thoughts and reactions that they observed as a child.

Taking the time to gather your thoughts and emotions and being aware of how you are feeling can not only help the parents or teachers, but it can help the children too by potentially not impairing learning, social interaction or their overall health.

“There are different paced breaths that help with anxiety, anger and other emotions. There is a wonderful skill called STOP as well. The S stands for stop or slow down, the T stands for take a step back or take a breath, the O stands for observe and the P stands for proceed with caution,” said Virginia.

“When teachers get upset, the kids get upset so using a calm voice and pleasant expression even when they don’t feel like it is going to help the kids. When adults use a harsh voice or an angry face, kids feel even more under threat, and it is harder for them to think and be still. Using a calm voice and pleasant expression helps the kids regulate their emotions.”

Absence of mindful awareness can lead to increased worry, down mood, anger management problems and avoidant and addictive behaviors. Causes that can create absence of mindful awareness are poor sleep, not taking care of your body nutritionally, substance use, not drinking enough water throughout the day, finding that their thoughts are overwhelming and negative and feeling hopeless.

Be assured, there is hope for every teacher and parent who feels stuck. According to Virginia, having at least one social relationship can be the biggest predictor of longevity in a career or in life. Having a listening ear, encouragement and showing empathy are all ways that peers can uplift a teacher or parent who is struggling with their mental health.

For teachers who are struggling, there are things parents can do at home to help make the classroom environment more manageable. “It is important that parents practice mindfulness because if kids go to school not having a meal or being yelled at, they have a far more difficult time at school,” said Virginia.

She added, “not having structure and letting the kids spend all their time on phones can be a problem. They can all help each other by limiting screen time. Parents can also help by making sure their kids get time to play, by spending time with them and making sure they sleep adequately.”

When parents spend time together with their kids, whether that is eating together at a table or playing together, it is a big predictor of the kids doing better in school. Something as simple as playing catch or a game can make the kids feel more connected and help them do better in school.

If you are aware your behavioral health is not where you want it to be, there are always people around you who can help and listen. Please reach out to someone, whether it be a friend, your doctor or a licensed provider in the community. Trinity Health Riverside has licensed therapists, psychologists and medication providers available to help. Being mindful of your thoughts and actions will be beneficial to not only yourself and your peers, but to children and their peers.

Children experience a variety of emotions when going back to school. For some, it’s an exciting time that allows them to be around their friends and socialize more. For others, it can be difficult or intimidating and things like changing grades or trying to get back into a routine after summer break can be overwhelming and cause students to struggle mentally.

Kasey Rabe, PMHNP-BC, Trinity Health Behavioral Health, who specializes in children and adolescents, says that two of the main emotions children can feel when heading back to school are heightened anxiety and depression, but those aren’t the only concerns.

“Going back to school can cause heightened anxiety and depression. Fear of starting a new grade or fear of not knowing what to expect. Fear of change and loneliness are other emotions that the children can feel,” she said.

For parents, friends, teachers and faculty members who are around children frequently, there are signs you can watch for to see if a child is struggling with their behavioral health. According to Kasey, one of the biggest signs is the pattern in which the children talk, if their emotions become blander or if you notice they aren’t as happy or cheery as they once were.

“A lot of times you can look at a child, especially if you are familiar with them, and know that something is wrong. It’s important for teachers and parents as well to reach out and just ask questions. They don’t want to necessarily poke and prod, but they should try their hardest to figure out what’s going on,” said Kasey.

Talking about feelings, however, is not always an easy thing for a child to do. Some might not want to open up to a parent or a teacher, and while they have friends at school that they can talk to or peers who are going through the same thing, they might not want to talk about it at all. And that’s ok. There are still coping mechanisms for children who don’t want to share their feelings.

“One thing I would encourage the child to do is journal and get their thoughts on paper. Journaling is a good way for them to get their emotions out. It doesn’t have to be shared; it can be their own personal journal. Encouraging extracurricular activities like sports or other activities to get their mind off the academic part of school and focus more on the fun stuff can also help,” said Kasey.

She added, “the biggest thing is to not poke and prod too much unless you are very concerned about their safety. A big thing that teachers can do is say something like, ‘I know you might not want to talk to me, but just know that I’m here now and will always be available.’ Always be ready for the children, never turn them down.”

For those that do want to talk, knowing they are safe in a school setting is an important step in finding help. “It’s important for them to feel safe in a school setting. They can be open about their concerns and remember that they’re not alone so they can talk to a teacher or find somebody that they feel comfortable with,” said Kasey.

In addition to those resources, there are other coping mechanisms that children can use if they are struggling in school. Taking deep breaths or counting to 10 if they are feeling anxious and taking a break if they are feeling overwhelmed are all small steps they can take that can help them work through difficult moments.

Even before school starts, there are steps that children and parents can take to help alleviate some of the difficulties of going back to school. One thing that is important for the children as they make the transition back into a classroom setting is sleep hygiene. This includes maintaining a consistent sleep schedule during the weekends as well, so when the school week comes around, the adjustment to waking up early isn’t as tough on the body.

“Children should not change their sleep routine more than two hours. Having that consistency can improve depressive symptoms and help children get through the school days. When Monday comes around, it’s not as dreadful because they’re not completely changing their routine over the weekend,” said Kasey.

Maintaining a healthy diet in and out of school can make a difference as well. Rabe mentions that having a more balanced meal with foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and water can give students more energy and alertness to get through the school days, which can be hard, especially in the afternoon.

While these coping mechanisms can help students who are struggling with their mental health, it’s important to remember that using a “one thing at a time” approach can make these daily changes or adjustments more digestible for children. Adding tasks like journaling, diet changes and increasing activity in their daily lives can be overwhelming if implemented all at once.