Parents: Four essential tips for back-to-school success

As the back-to-school season arrives, parents across the country know they must ready up for emergency shopping sprees, uniform mishaps and the looming cold and flu outbreaks at schools. In all the hustle, is crucial that parents do not to overlook their children's mental state.

This transition can be daunting for both kids and parents, often leading to anxiety and stress. Especially in the aftermath of COVID-19, when many of our kids lost out on important early socialization, it’s important to recognise the signs of stress, and know how to address them early to prevent them from developing into more serious conditions.

Beyond that, our kids need to be put in the ‘zone’ where they can focus and perform to their very best. These essential back-to-school mental health tips for parents to ensure a smooth and stable start to the school year.

1. Look for the signs of anxiety or distractions
   
   The biggest red flag to look out for are unexplained changes in behaviour. If your child is displaying signs of mood-swings, is more irritable or angry, or no longer shows interest in hobbies they used to enjoy, then anxiety or stress may be the cause. Academic decline is also a telltale sign of a child being distracted or preoccupied during lessons, which further indicates stress. Children at younger ages are far less able than adults to identify when they are feeling stressed or anxious, and even older children who may self-reflect more clearly are likely to find talking to parents about their stress to be difficult, embarrassing or a source of stress in its own right. That’s why it’s critical to present options and lower the barriers to talking about their feelings and worries.
2. Give them a diary

A diary is appropriate for older children and teenagers and is an incredibly powerful tool with dozens of scientifically-proven benefits. Firstly, they have been shown time and again to be associated with better writing and higher reading ages. Secondly, writing exercises creativity and boosts the confidence of your child. Thirdly, they teach your child two key skills that are often left undeveloped at school: to work and focus on a task independently, and to think about and describe their emotions. In the worst-case scenario that your child is anxious or distracted at school, a diary will both alert you to these worries, and will act as a therapeutic mechanism for the child, who will be able to write about and therefore understand the nature and causes of their anxiety, in a practice known as “naming and taming”. For younger children, consider creating a bedtime routine that incorporates a conversation about what worries they may be having. This technique is not only going to help ensure your child sleeps
soundly, but help them develop the skills to share their thoughts and feelings, like a verbal dairy entry. They’ll soon find themselves much better able than their peers in talking about themselves and in reflecting on their own experiences.

3 Watch what they eat
That a healthy diet increases performance at school is no secret at all. Yet many parents are still surprised by just how large the difference can be. The evidence is so strong that many authorities provide school meals to those at risk of not eating well enough. Better diets mean fewer absences from school, more consistent release of energy to improve focus and avoid mood-swings or “sugar rushes”. Avoiding sugar as much as possible is a must. Its bad for their physical health, especially for their teeth, but also interferes with their learning performance and their mental well-being. Excessive refined sugar can block membranes which slows down neural communication. Waves of high and low glucose levels, which the brain needs to function, means focus can be severely compromised. Ensuring nutritious foods can be complemented by another tip - packing some sugar-free gum. After their lunch, chewing gum will help release saliva to neutralize any acids caused by the breakdown of sugars, helping keep their teeth healthy. Without sugar, its calorie free and won’t interfere with blood glucose levels. Moreover, according to the British Psychological Society (BPS), it can actually help your child concentrate and increase wakefulness, improving their performance in those long afternoon classes.

4. Sign them up to sports
   Sports give every child the opportunity to socialise in a team environment, but that’s not all. The release of endorphins can chemically neutralise stress hormone cortisol, and is released when we do sport. Sport means better focus and fewer distractions in the classroom, as well as benefits to your child’s ability to play fair and socialize. Sport is also a long-term investment for your child’s cardiovascular health. Better blood circulation and fitness grows and improves the structure of your hippocampus – the brain’s learning and memory centre. It also improves executive control meaning your child will be better coordinated and more able to avoid distractions.

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