Back to school jitters

Back to school comes with a long 'to do' list. There is the stationery, trending lunchbox, school uniforms (how do they grow so fast??), shoes, haircuts ... and then you have to label everything! But beyond these logistics for many kids going back to school can be a nerve wracking, particularly if this involves a new school or the transition to high school.

Seeing friends (and frenemies) again after the summer can cause worries. Friendships are amazing but they can also be really tricky, with many ups and downs.

There is also study pressure with a new year, new subjects and managing workload and expectations.

For parents there are a number of things you can do to help.

1. Talk to your kids about what to expect.

2. For younger kids, talk them through the morning routine and it's worth getting them back into a bit of a bedtime and morning routine the week before they start back.

3. Talk to them about your own experiences, positive and negative, and how you dealt with them (or would deal with them differently now).

4. Transitions take time, so if they are starting a new school or transitioning to high school, be patient but don't be afraid to talk to the school if you are really worried.

5. There is help out there, and I love the work of ReachOut.  They have a number of great collections, check out:

Back to school:
https://au.reachout.com/collections/back-to-school

Friendships:
https://au.reachout.com/relationships/friendships

Tips for starting high school:
https://au.reachout.com/articles/tips-for-starting-high-school