Tips to help children prepare emotionally and mentally for the upcoming school year

By Dr. Ana Stankovic, Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare of New England

It’s that time of year when families are busy checking off their back-to-school lists, including making sure your child has the right pencils, notebooks, and backpack. But perhaps even more important than school supplies is making sure your child feels emotionally and mentally ready to start the school year.

Here are four steps to reduce stress and help students have a healthy start to the school year.

Create or restore routines: What time does the family sit down for dinner? What time is homework due? How long is screen time? What time is lights out? What time does the alarm go off? The answers are important. Sticking to schedules can help you create consistency at home that can help your child feel more confident, secure, and stable.

Schedule a preventive care appointment for your child: Think of a well-being appointment as an opportunity to better understand your child’s health needs. Pediatricians can assess your child’s physical and emotional health before school starts, preparing him or her for success for the rest of the year. It’s also a good time to fill out school physical exam forms and learn about current immunizations. Ask your child’s doctor about factors that affect his or her physical development, such as diet, exercise and sleep habits. Not sure what to ask? UnitedHealthcare offers a printable well-being checklist [2].

Discuss mental health: Bringing up mental health issues can help show your child that it’s OK to have these conversations and that they always have a support network they can rely on. If your child talks about anxiety or nervousness, take their feelings seriously. Reassure them and let them know that they can feel better. These can be sensitive topics for your child, so empathy, openness and patience can go a long way in making them feel heard and optimistic that everything will be OK. Focus on your child’s overall state of mind – not just what they say – and look for warning signs of problems such as persistent sadness, sudden mood swings or trouble sleeping.

Promote independence at home: Encourage younger children entering preschool or kindergarten to dress themselves, go to the bathroom, wash their hands, and put on their shoes without help. Your child should know how to wipe their face and blow their nose after lunch without help. They should also feel comfortable asking an adult for help when needed.