Returning To School: What Parents Should Know
The new school year can bring an array of emotions from excitement to concerns about returning to school Those who have underlying unresolved mental illness, apprehension can be amplified.
I’m Sapna Rad, Author of Yelling to Zenning, parenting expert, and NLP trainer with 8+ years of experience working with Parents. I help parents empower themselves so that they can connect with their children, spending less time correcting and more time laughing.
Here are tips for a successful school year for elementary, middle, or high school students with mental illness.
The first thing is not to act like your child is the enemy; this is some epic war where you both are one opposite team. Allie with your child.
Set routines and rituals a few weeks in advance to avoid last-minute chaos
Have those emotional check-ins. Communication is the key here.
Include your child back to school shopping and preparations and get them excited.
If they show resistance make sure to pause, or delay response. it puts you in a better position of power.
Lead with curiosity. To want to know the needs beneath their behavior. meet those needs so that the symptomatic behaviors disappear.
Build a support system. look for clubs or activities that your child might enjoy.
Celebrate small wins.
Parents need to look at their own reactivity , their levels of anxiety to whatever is showing in the child at the moment, self reflect, and be aware of what they are bringing to the equation that is amplifying the problem and mitigate that.
Best connect with your child before correcting them.
