Back-to-School Stress

Parents have a lot on their plate: mortgage payments, healthcare, caring for elderly parents, raising kids, just to name a few. As the new school year approaches, they face additional stressors — paying for back-to-school supplies, clothes and possibly tuition. Many parents may also be worried about their children starting a new school, changing school districts, facing a more rigorous academic year or dealing with difficult social situations. Often the fear of the unknown — classmates, teachers, the school building — is the most stressful for family members, whether it’s the children hopping on the school bus or their parents who have to wave goodbye.

“The end of summer and the beginning of a new school year can be a stressful time for parents and children,” says psychologist Lynn Bufka, PhD. “While trying to manage work and the household, parents can sometimes overlook their children’s feelings of nervousness or anxiety as school begins. Working with your children to build resilience and manage their emotions can be beneficial for the psychological health of the whole family.”

Fortunately, children are extremely capable of coping with change and parents can help them in the process by providing a setting that fosters resilience and encourages them to share and express their feelings about returning to school.

 APA and OPA offers the following back-to-school tips:

1. Practice the first day of school routine: Getting into a sleep routine before the first week of school will aide in easing the shock of waking up early. Organizing things at home — backpack, binder, lunchbox or cafeteria money — will help make the first morning go smoothly. Having healthy, yet kid-friendly lunches will help keep them energized throughout the day. Also, walking through the building and visiting your child’s locker and classroom will help ease anxiety of the unknown.
2. Get to know your neighbors: If your child is starting a new school, walk around your block and get to know the neighborhood children. Try and set up a play date, or, for an older child, find out where neighborhood kids might go to safely hang out, like the community pool, recreation center or park.
3. Talk to your child: Asking your children about their fears or worries about going back to school will help them share their burden. Inquire as to what they liked about their previous school or grade and see how those positives can be incorporated into their new experience.
4. Empathize with your children: Change can be difficult, but also exciting. Let your children know that you are aware of what they’re going through and that you will be there to help them in the process. Nerves are normal, but highlight that not everything that is different is necessarily bad. It is important to encourage your children to face their fears instead of falling in to the trap of encouraging avoidance.
5. Get involved and ask for help: Knowledge of the school and the community will better equip you to understand your child’s surroundings and the transition he or she is undergoing. Meeting members of your community and school will foster support for both you and your child. If you feel the stress of the school year is too much for you and your child to handle on your own, seeking expert advice from a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, will help you better manage and cope.

Special thanks to Dr. Mary Alvord for her help with this article. 

The full text of articles from APA Help Center may be reproduced and distributed for noncommercial purposes with credit given to the American Psychological Association. Any electronic reproductions must link to the original article on the APA Help Center. Any exceptions to this, including excerpting, paraphrasing or reproduction in a commercial work, must be presented in writing to the APA. Images from the APA Help Center may not be reproduced.

Stress in the Midwest

The American Psychological Association recently released results from their annual Stress in America Survey. The following is an article from the APA related to those results:

Americans in the Midwest, on average, report lower levels of stress than people in other regions. The majority also say they are doing enough to manage their stress despite reporting that their stress levels have largely stayed the same this year. What’s more, they report fewer unhealthy behaviors as a result of stress.

More Midwesterners say that they are doing enough to manage their stress this year (62 percent in 2012 vs. 56 percent in 2011).

Even still, average stress levels in the Midwest exceed what people living in the region define as a healthy level of stress (4.7 average stress level vs. 3.3 healthy stress level on a 10-point scale).

Midwesterners are more likely than other Americans to say that their stress has stayed the same over the past year (50 percent compared with 45 percent in the South and West and 42 percent in the East), but one-third (33 percent) still say their stress increased during that time frame.

Money (74 percent), work (65 percent) and the economy (65 percent) remain the most commonly reported sources of stress for Midwesterners.

When asked what they do to manage stress, Midwesterners most commonly report exercising or walking (51 percent), listening to music (50 percent) and spending time with friends or family (46 percent). Midwesterners are more likely than people living across the country to turn to friends and family for stress relief (46 percent vs. 39 percent nationally).

The number of Midwesterners who say they have lain awake at night or overeaten, eaten unhealthy foods or skipped a meal because of stress has declined in the past year.

• Thirty-nine percent of people in the Midwest say they have lain awake at night due to stress (compared with 46 percent in 2011).
• Thirty-seven percent say they have overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods because of stress (compared with 44 percent in 2011).
• Twenty-four percent say they have skipped a meal because of stress (compared with 35 percent in 2011).

Despite their desire to live healthier lifestyles, many in the Midwest, on average, appear to be having difficulty reaching their healthy living goals. Midwesterners are also more likely than people in other regions to feel that a lack of willpower is preventing them from making these changes. They are, however, increasingly likely to recognize that psychologists can help with making lifestyle and behavior changes.

Read more of this article

Taking action to improve our resilience

Why do some people recover quickly from traumatic experiences while others go in to a spiral of negative emotions and reduced functioning? Dr. Donald Meichenbaum, one of the ten most influential psychotherapists of the 20th century,  has some answers in his new book "Roadmap to Resilience: A Guide for Military, Trauma Victims and their Families." Dr. Meichenbaum outlines six different areas of resilience and provides ways that we all can boost ours. For example: exercising regularly, giving back and helping others, expressing gratitude, journal writing, establishing realistic expectations and more. You can find a large list of suggestions on this checklist from the Roadmap to Resilience website.

If you'd like to hear more from Dr. Meichenbaum about resilience, particularly after a trauma, you can hear an interview Todd Finnerty, Psy.D. did with him on the first ever Mental Health Day podcast. Dr. Meichenbaum describes post-traumatic growth and the six domains of resilience. He also talks about ways that you can I can improve our resilience in each area. Check out the podcast now.

Coping with Holiday Temper Tantrums

Coping with Holiday Temper Tantrums

The holidays can be a fantastic, joy-filled time; however they also can sometimes lead to stress. This can be true whether you are a parent or not, but parents sometimes have their own unique sources of stress. The American Psychological Association has offered some Tips for Parents on Managing Holiday Stress 


"APA offers these tips to help parents deal with holiday stress:

Set expectations – Talk to your kids about expectations for gifts and holiday activities. Be open with them if money is an issue. Depending on a child's age, parents can use this as an opportunity to teach their kids about the value of money and responsible spending. And be realistic. Take small concrete steps to deal with holiday tasks instead of overwhelming yourself with goals that are too far reaching for a busy time.Keep things in perspective – Try to consider stressful situations in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing events out of proportion and teach your kids how to keep things in perspective, including what type and the number of gifts they receive.

Make connections – Good relationships with family and friends are important. So, view the holidays as a time to reconnect with people. Additionally, accepting help and support from those who care about you can help alleviate stress. Even volunteering at a local charity with your kids is a good way to connect with others, assist someone in need and teach your kids about the value of helping others.

Take care of yourself – Pay attention to your own needs and feelings during the holiday season. Engage in activities that you and your family enjoy and find relaxing. Taking care of yourself helps keep your mind and body healthy and primed to deal with stressful situations. Consider cutting back television viewing for kids and instead, get the family out together for a winter walk. It promotes activity and takes kids away from sedentary time and possible influence from advertisements."

Sometimes parents have additional sources of stress, including children who may act up. It is fair to speculate that most kids have had a temper tantrum at some point in their lives (and so have you).  However, temper tantrums have been in the news a lot this year. You may have heard that daily temper tantrums are not normal for preschoolers based on a recent study (see last Month's APA Monitor for an article on this.) "While 84 percent of parents reported their children occasionally had tantrums, only 9 percent reported daily outbursts." However, when the extra stress of the holidays come around parents may worry about what their family thinks if their child acts up. They may feel stress or worry that they'll be embarrassed if their child has behavioral issues during the family meal or other holiday activities. They may also have reservations about taking their child to the store during all of the holiday sales and promotions; particularly if their child may tend to have meltdowns if they don't get what they're asking for. It's good to remember the tips about managing your own expectations as well as those of your child.

When it comes to issues like temper tantrums the tips from APA are a good starting point. It is important to not just manage your own expectations, but the expectations of your child (or children). Being clear from the beginning about your expectations for them and taking steps to prevent problems whenever possible is key. Preventing temper tantrums and related difficulties is always easier than trying to deal with them "in-the-heat-of-the-moment." That's why another good tip would be to know your child's "buttons" and manage any triggers or other issues which may tend to lead to these behaviors. For example, if they tend to get crabby when they're hungry or tired it makes sense to stay within their reasonable limits and manage your expectations for them. In that instance you may not want to push it too far past lunch time without a healthy snack during the holidays. Some children do well with their usual routines but the holidays can be a time where routines go out the window and lots of unfamiliar faces may turn up. Try to stick to routines when possible and prepare your child when it's not possible.

However, another recent source of news about "temper tantrums" is the recent announcement by the American Psychiatric Association that they will definitely include a new diagnosis in the next edition of their diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals called the DSM-5. The new diagnosis is called Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, it is a mood disorder that originates in childhood that was introduced with the hope of reducing the number of children who currently receive pediatric bipolar disorder diagnoses.  The diagnosis is for kids who don't have classic manic episodes and who tend to be irritable with frequent temper outbursts. You can read a little more about Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder at the Balanced Mind Foundation's blog (they were formerly called the child and adolescent bipolar foundation).

Some critics have argued that diagnosing kids like this takes the "blame" off of parents when parents deserve the blame. On the other hand, some really great parents sometimes feel that the suggestions that they receive from professionals are implying that it is there fault that their child is showing a developmentally inappropriate level of difficulty with regulating their emotions and solving problems in their daily life. They receive lots of suggestions. There are lots of parenting suggestions for managing kids when temper tantrums start to get out of hand. One book that I like for parents is Ross Greene's "The Explosive Child." In addition to the concepts from Dr. Greene's book, an evidence-based approach that psychologists can also use is called Parent Management Training. While medication is an additional option to consider,  approaches from a psychologist or counselor often rely on the parent's help. This is in-part because a psychologist can only be with the child 45-50 minutes per week (and often less than that). In addition, interventions that work at the "point-of-performance" for the child often have the most success. So if your child is having their temper tantrums at home, at school or somewhere in the community, usually being able to intervene directly  in those settings will be most helpful. Parents and teachers are generally with the child during those times and psychologists will help by being a consultant to try new approaches for preventing temper outbursts and other difficulties from occurring and helping your child learn new skills "at the point-of-performance."  While some embarrassment with family members should be expected and some behavioral concerns occur in most kids now and then, when temper outbursts become frequent and severe it may be time to talk to a psychologist. You can find psychologists in your area by using the American Psychological Association's Psychologist Locator  and the Ohio Psychological Association's Psychologist Referral Program



Todd Finnerty, Psy.D. is a psychologist in Columbus, OH. You can also follow Dr. Finnerty on Twitter.

Work, Vacation and Stress

Fact: According to a 2006 CareerBuilder.com survey, one in four workers plan to work while on vacation.


Isn't vacation supposed to be relaxing?  Consider these tips to help make the most of your vacation.

 

1. Don't set expectations too high:
if you rigidly plan every moment of the vacation, you are bound to be disappointed at some level.  Make sure you have time to relax and enjoy.
2. Don't underplan:
Waking up the hour before the flight to pack is likely to send your stress level through the roof.  Take 15 min a day the week before the vacation to start packing and arranging necessary details in advance.
3. Turn off the office.
  Put on your "out of office" message on your e-mail and on your work phone to let others know you will not be returning messages. 
4. Plan for the adjustment of returning to home and work.
  Have a coworker cover your work so you are not overwhelmed when you return.  Work a few hours into your schedule upon returning to answer e-mail and phone messages.  Consider planning a "cushion" day at home to get ready for the trip and then to recover before heading back to work.
5. Keep positive habits.
  Eating out, alcohol, and sleep deprivation are likely to throw off your system if you completely change your habits on vacation.  Remember to exercise, eat right, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep among all the fun.

 
Useful links:

http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/4-tips-to-reduce-vacation-stress
http://stress.about.com/od/workplacestress/a/vacations.htm
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/five-tips-to-beat-vacation-stress.html?page=2

Women Stress About Family Responsibilities and Health Concerns

WOMEN STRESS ABOUT FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES AND HEALTH CONCERNS

OPA offers tips for stressed-out women this Mother’s Day

In today’s harried world, it is not uncommon for women to wear many hats in their families. More often than men, statistics show they are tasked with caregiving responsibilities for both children and family members inside their home. As families across the country pause to celebrate the women in their lives this Mother’s Day, the Ohio Psychological Association is calling attention to the unique stressors that women face as caregivers and the health consequences they may experience as a result.

According to the American Psychological Association survey, Stress in America™: Our Health at Risk, women are more likely than the general public to cite family health concerns (57 percent for women, 53 percent for the general public) and family responsibilities (62 percent for women, 57 percent for the general public) as sources of stress. In general, caregivers, both men and women, are also more likely to report higher levels of stress than others in the country (6.5 for caregivers, 5.2 for the general public, in 2011, on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is little or no stress and 10 is a great deal of stress).

As health care decision makers and often caregivers for their families, women tend to put others’ needs before their own,” said Kathleen Ashton, Ph.D.“With so many competing responsibilities, women often don’t take time for themselves and their overall wellness can be compromised. This Mother’s Day, let’s give women a break and help them find healthy ways to manage stress and live well.”

For Mother’s Day, OPA offers these healthy lifestyle strategies for busy women, mothers and caregivers:

• Take care of yourself— Set aside time to engage in healthy activities that you enjoy or that help you relax. Identify hobbies, increase exercising or eating healthy foods. Making time for yourself will help you better manage stressful situations and allow you to better care for the whole family. Also, find something that makes you laugh – humor is important, and laughter can really make life a whole lot easier.
• Recognize how you deal with family stress — Some people deal with stress by engaging in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, comfort eating, or yelling and becoming irritable. Remember that stress is inevitable. What makes the biggest difference is how you manage that stress.
• Reach out to others — Enlist and accept help from others including friends and family. Identify ways your family can help with specific needs that must be met like proving a meal or babysitting so you can find time to take a break and rejuvenate. Take time to connect with your girlfriends when you are feeling overwhelmed. Strong female friendships can help women overcome stressors.
• Keep things in perspective —Remind yourself that each morning offers a new start and take things one step at a time. Realize that there is no one perfect way to parent. Staying optimistic lowers stress.
• Prioritize — You can only do one thing at a time. Delay or say no to the unimportant tasks, and make appointments for more important tasks, such as spending quality time with a spouse or child.
• Be organized — Keeping the family and yourself organized reduces stress. Put family health information in separate folders; get family members to keep laundry in color coded baskets; keep book bags in assigned bins. Harried searching for things adds to mom’s stress. Enlist your children’s help in developing an organization plan for your household - if they are involved in the planning, they will be more likely to follow through.
• Ask for professional help — If you feel overwhelmed by stress or the unhealthy behaviors you use to cope, you may want to talk with a psychologist who can help you address the emotions behind your worries, better manage stress and change unhealthy behaviors.

For more information on managing stress and mind/body health, visit www.apa.org/helpcenter, follow APA on Twitter @apahelpcenter and read the “Your Mind Your Body” blog at www.yourmindyourbody.org. Details of APA’s Stress in America survey can be found at www.stressinamerica.org.

With over 1,600 clinician, academic, affiliate and student members, the Ohio Psychological Association (OPA) is nationally recognized as one of the preeminent state psychological associations. A well-established leader within the field, OPA works hard to ensure the science and professions of psychology remain vital, relevant and at the forefront in Ohio.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 154,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting health, education, and human welfare.

Money worries tax out Americans as IRS deadline looms

Columbus, Ohio. March 29, 2012. According to the Ohio Psychological Association, the looming IRS tax deadline may be stressful for many Ohio residents, particularly those who may also be struggling to meet financial goals. Stress related to tax deadlines can increase reliance on the unhealthy behaviors, such as eating poorly, smoking, drinking and being inactive, that many people already use to cope with everyday stressors related to money, work, family and health matters. Research shows that increased reliance on unhealthy behaviors to manage stress can lead to long-term, serious health problems or exacerbate existing conditions.
"Many of us keep putting off dealing with taxes or bills because we may feel overwhelmed by financial obligations. This behavior can just make our financial situation—and ultimately our anxiety about t finances—worse,” says Kathleen Ashton, Ph.D. “Approach tax-filing time as an opportunity to look at your financial habits and see what changes you can make over the next year ”
The American Psychological Association’s recent survey Stress in America: Our Health at Risk found that money is a top source of stress for adults. Seventy five percent of people attribute their stress to money and 70 percent report that work is a cause of stress, interrelated issues that are emphasized for many during the tax-filing process. Many Americans set financial goals in 2012 –more than half (52 percent) said that they planned to save more money, and 37 percent reported a goal to pay off debt—yet more than one quarter said that willpower (27 percent) or time (26 percent) were barriers preventing them from making changes.
The Ohio Psychological Association offers these strategies for managing financial stress and improving your financial willpower:
Identify money stressors. What events or situations trigger stressful feelings? Are they related to meeting tax deadlines, paying bills, money decisions, financial responsibilities at work or home? Or something else?
Recognize how you deal with financial stress. Some people deal with stress by using unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, drinking or overeating. Do you turn to unhealthy financial behaviors such as overspending, misuse of credit cards, neglecting bills or constantly borrowing money in an effort to deal with financial stressors?
Make one financial decision at a time. When people are faced with multiple, back-to-back decisions that test willpower, research suggests that willpower can easily be depleted. Space out your financial decisions to prevent feeling overwhelmed.
Track your spending. Research shows that tracking can be an effective tool. Keep a daily list of how you spend your money.
Save automatically. Set up bank or investment accounts that draw funds automatically from your pay check. This will prevent you from devoting limited willpower resources to deciding whether to spend or save money. Look for accounts that require you to wait a certain amount of time or reach a certain target before you can withdraw the funds. Research indicates that these accounts are effective in helping people save greater amounts.
Avoid temptation. Staying away from shopping malls and stores can help you manage spending. Choose an alternative social activity over shopping. Avoid opportunities for impulsive spending by leaving credit and debit cards at home and only carry the amount of cash you can afford to spend.
Find healthy ways to manage stress. Consider healthy, stress-reducing activities — taking a short walk, exercise, journaling or talking things out with friends or family. Try to develop these types of healthy stress management behaviors so that when you're in a financial crisis, you'll have healthy strategies available to help you reduce stress.
Ask for support. Research shows that having a support system can help you reach your goals. Surround yourself with people you trust who will be supportive of your financial goals and willing to help you succeed. Consider consulting with professionals such as financial planners or accountants to help with taxes and money matters.

If you continue feel overwhelmed by stress related to finances or need help learning how to change money habits, talk to a psychologist. Psychologists are trained to help people address the emotions behind unhealthy habits including financial behaviors and can help you identify ways to manage stress.
For more information on managing stress and on building willpower please visit www.apa.org/helpcenter Details of APA’s Stress in America survey can be found at http://www.stressinamerica.org/.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 154,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting health, education, and human welfare.

Making the Most out of the Holiday Season

From APA's Help Center:

APA offers the following tips:

1. Take time for yourself – There may be pressure to be everything to everyone. Remember that you’re only one person and can only accomplish certain things. Sometimes self-care is the best thing you can do—others will benefit when you’re stress- free. Go for a long walk, get a massage or take time out to listen to your favorite music or read a new book. All of us need some time to recharge our batteries—by slowing down you will actually have more energy to accomplish your goals.

2. Volunteer – Many charitable organizations are also suffering due to the economic downturn. Find a local charity, such as a soup kitchen or a shelter where you and your family can volunteer. Also, participating in a giving tree or an adopt-a-family program, and helping those who are living in true poverty may help you put your own economic struggles in perspective.

3. Have realistic expectations – No Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, or other holiday celebration is perfect; view inevitable missteps as opportunities to demonstrate flexibility and resilience. A lopsided tree or a burned brisket won’t ruin your holiday; rather, it will create a family memory. If your children’s wish list is outside your budget, talk to them about the family’s finances this year and remind them that the holidays aren’t about expensive gifts.

4. Remember what’s important – The barrage of holiday advertising can make you forget what the holiday season is really about. When your holiday expense list is running longer than your monthly budget, scale back and remind yourself that what makes a great celebration is family, not store-bought presents, elaborate decorations or gourmet food.

5. Seek support – Talk about your anxiety with your friends and family. Getting things out in the open can help you navigate your feelings and work toward a solution for your stress. If you continue to feel overwhelmed, consider seeing a professional such as a psychologist to help you manage your holiday stress.

The Debt Crisis—How to control your own stress when the government stresses out!

Kathleen Ashton, Ph.D.

The Debt Crisis—How to control your own stress when the government stresses out!

Five Tips for Debt Crisis Stress Relief.

1. Focus on what is in your control. Write, e-mail, or tweet your senator, congressperson, or the President. Let them know what your priorities are for spending and your opinion on tax breaks.
2. Avoid information overload. Constant watching of 24 hour news channels, listening to pundits argue, reviewing internet articles can be overwhelming. Gather information in a small chunk from a reputable source. 
3. Don’t look too far ahead. Some people tend to think about all the worst case scenarios. Take one step at a time and don’t predict the future—unless you have psychic abilities!
4. Maintain your usual coping strategies. Get outside, exercise, eat right, and socialize with your friends. 
5. Make one small step to balance your own budget. Taking action helps people to feel positive. Make a meal instead of going out tonight, skip the designer coffee, have a small amount taken out of your paycheck each week and automatically deposited into a savings account. You’ll be doing your own small part to be financially responsible.

New technology brings new obsessions

#stress tip of the day: Use technology wisely not obsessively: Smartphone dependency: a growing obsession http://t.co/yf9sziY #psych

Delay those cravings when stressed!

Feel cravings for food when stressed? Delay just 10 min and watch craving fade! Make sure to keep busy with another activity that helps with your stress like breathing and exercise. http://t.co/cniRwrB #obesity #health

Did You Know? June Fact

In late spring and summer, admissions to psychiatric hospitals actually increase from the winter months.

Summer! Time for the beach, vacation, sun, and fun! Right?  Well, maybe.  Many people find summer more stressful than carefree.  The logistics of planning a vacation, finding childcare and activities for children home from school, and trying to fit in too much during good weather can stress even the most avid summer enthusiast.  Here are some basic tips to make your summer a breeze:

1. Don't overplan: having 50 fun activities scheduled for each day of summer will leave you feeling more burnt out than relaxed.  Make sure you leave some unstructured time to sit back and slow down.
2. Don't underplan: doing nothing is also not the answer.  Boredom can be as stressful as doing too much.  Make sure you have a few meaningful activities spaced out over the summer to look forward to.
3. Take advantage.  The natural light during summer can be a mood enhancer, and the weather allows you to use nature as stress reliever.
4. Increase physical activity.  Use the outdoors for your workout or just take more walks.  Exercise is a natural antidepressant.
5. Take time to connect.  Take a technology vacation and spend time camping, playing outdoor games, and having face time with your family and friends.

 Useful links:

http://stress.about.com/od/situationalstress/a/stress_avoid.htm

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/chill-out-summer-tips-stress-relief

http://www.yourmindyourbody.org/seasonal-affective-disorder-in-the-summer/

Fat Stigma Spreading

A recent study published in the journal Current Anthropology revealed that stigma against obese individuals is spreading, not only in countries such as the U.S. and Europe, but also in countries where being "fat" was previously seen as a sign of wealth and prosperity. This NY Times Well Blog article discusses the research in more detail. For more information on the Mind/Body connection and Obesity, please visit the APA Help Center's Obesity link, as well as APA's tip sheets on Obesity.

Managing Back to School Stress

The lazy hazy days of summer are winding down and that means it’s time to start thinking about going back to school. For some kids and families, this time is an exciting one that they look forward to. For many, it’s a time of stress and adjustment; schedules change, teachers change, classmates differ, kids may transition from elementary school to middle school or high school, there’s added homework responsibilities and back-to-school shopping can all be a challenge.

How can you help?

Parents can help children by providing a setting that fosters resilience and encouraging them to share and express their feelings about returning to school. Attending school orientation programs with your kids can often help ease the fear of the unknown: classmates, teachers, the school building, bus routes, curriculum expectations, etc. Most schools offer these or other kinds of programs to help ease the back-to-school stress that happens this time of year.

In addition, the American Psychological Association offers the following back-to-school tips:

1. Practice the first day of school routine: Getting into a sleep routine before the first week of school will aide in easing the shock of waking up early. Organizing things at home—backpack, binder, lunchbox or cafeteria money—will help make the first morning go smoothly. Having healthy, yet kid-friendly lunches, will keep them energized throughout the day. Also, walking through the building and visiting your child’s locker and classroom will help ease anxiety of the unknown.

2. Get to know your neighbors: If your child is starting a new school, walk around your block and get to know the neighborhood children. Try and set up a play date, or, for an older child, find out where neighborhood kids might go to safely hang out, like the community pool, recreation center or park.

3. Talk to your child: Asking your children about their fears or worries about going back to school will help them share their burden. Inquire as to what they liked about their previous school or grade and see how those positives can be incorporated into their new experience.

4. Empathize with your children: Change can be difficult, but also exciting. Let your children know that you are aware of what they’re going through and that you will be there to help them in the process. Nerves are normal, but highlight that not everything that is different is necessarily bad. It is important to encourage your children to face their fears instead of falling in to the trap of encouraging avoidance.

5. Get involved and ask for help: Knowledge of the school and the community will better equip you to understand your child’s surroundings and the transition he or she is undergoing. Meeting members of your community and school will foster support for both you and your child. If you feel the stress of the school year is too much for you and your child to handle on your own, seeking expert advice from a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, will help you better manage and cope.