Back to school: Go!

The start of school is just around the corner for the Bend-Lapine and Redmond school districts (and maybe for you homeschoolers too!). This is the third of 3 blog posts on getting ready to head back to school. You can find part one (about getting back to good school year habits) here and part two (about getting medical and dental needs taken care of) here. Now, we will focus on how to manage once school has actually started. Are you ready for school anxiety and behavior problems? If you need help figuring things out, talk to your child's doctor.

---

Realize that for some kids, starting school can be a stressful time. Children are changing their sleep schedules, entering a more structured environment, and interacting with new friends or teachers (or sometimes a completely new school). Encourage your kids to discuss any anxieties they may be experiencing. It’s normal to experience a meltdown or two, but if your child seems excessively worried or stressed, it may be a good idea to bring it to your doctor’s attention.

Mindfulness activities can also be helpful in kids. Studies have shown that mindfulness can improve attention, mitigate the effects of bullying, and improve mental health. Start a regular practice of mindfulness in your family.

Keep a close eye on your child’s performance — especially if last year didn’t go as well as you would have liked. Children can struggle academically for a wide variety of reasons (it’s not all ADHD), so identifying these problems early and working with the school and your pediatrician to address them is vital. Hopefully, by addressing any problems quickly, you can start the year off right!
​
I hope you and your children have a great school year!