Best Self Family Post
Back-to-School Butterflies
8/29/18
They’ve got the supplies (check!), new clothes that fit (check!), now what to do with those back-to-school butterflies? It’s completely normal to feel nervous about returning to school. No matter their age, children and teens can always use a big boost of confidence (and positive intention) to start the year off strong!
You can help your child or teen prepare for this transition by exploring, or reviewing, their most positive thoughts about school. Remind them that what we think, becomes what we feel (and this knowledge, is most certainly, power!). Learning to change our thinking is one of the most powerful tools we have in our box!
You can validate any negative thoughts they report (as normal or understandable), while also encouraging more balanced thinking. In therapy sessions, we like to ask the following questions, to bring those happy thoughts out of hiding!
- What are you most looking forward to this year?
- What did you accomplish last year? What made you proud?
- What are some highlights of your summer, that you can share with friends?
- Who are you most excited to see at school?
- What goals do you have – for academics and extracurriculars?
- What is special about this next grade level?
- What good things do we know about your new teacher(s)?
- What can you do for yourself at the end of the day (and look forward to)?
Exploring these topics will help ensure there are strong, specific, positive thoughts they can hold onto. This will help boost confidence, especially when positive thoughts constructed are based upon facts and past successes (versus worries – which may consist more of “what if” scenarios rather than factual events).
It’s also important to identify what daily routines will soon be in place; and get them started a few days early. Brains tend to like consistency, so a major change in sleep/wake hours on the first day can give your child a disadvantage. It’s a good time to remember that taking care of physical health – by paying attention to sleep, diet, and exercise – benefits our mental health, too. Don’t forget to prioritize these as you enjoy your last days of summer!
Let’s look forward to fall and all the sweaters, pumpkins and holidays that come with it!