The days main as much as the return to highschool will be overwhelming for folks and kids, particularly on an emotional stage. But being knowledgeable concerning the challenges your youngster might face, and realizing tips on how to take care of day-to-day obstacles, could make issues simpler. 

We sat down with Edna Rodriguez, a scientific psychologist and an professional in adolescent psychological well being, for recommendation as we head again to highschool.

Back to highschool — and again to the fundamentals

Rodriguez believes crucial factor to do along with your youngsters is to set expectations for college, not simply in teachers however different areas, together with self-care.

“Having conversations about self-care and how they’re going to balance the academic load also with extracurricular activities and, you know, feeling well or feeling optimal. So having those conversations, it’s very important,” she defined.

You also needs to be certain that to determine a routine, particularly in case you’ve been lax over the summer time. Rodriguez says a wholesome sleep sample is vital, and that begins with a set bedtime. It can also embody having youngsters flip off their tech for a while earlier than they really fall asleep.

“Can we do something that is soothing before that time? Turning off technology — the more we spend with a TV or with our phones, the more awakened our brain feels. So it does the opposite effect when we’re trying to go to sleep,” she stated.

But whereas mother and father could possibly set a routine for achievement at residence, again to highschool means heading out of the home. This could be a problem, particularly for youthful youngsters who will not be used to the college routine. Rodriguez says mother and father ought to try to create an atmosphere the place your youngsters really feel protected and safe, to allow them to speak to you when issues won’t be going nicely.

“We are not tasked to solve everything in our kids’ lives, but we are tasked to be there and support them as much as we can,” she says. “So creating an environment for that, listening to them. Listening to them, asking questions, but also just being there.”

She provides that being there doesn’t all the time imply speaking a few particular subject, It will be so simple as being current collectively, watching a film, enjoying a board sport — even video video games: “Just being there for them and making them feel safe. So then when things happen in school, when things get tough academically, socially, internally, they can come to us, right? And they can say and express, ‘Hey, things are not going well or they are not feeling great for me.’”

What in case your child is concerned in a bullying scenario?

Bullying will be one in all a mum or dad’s worst fears. Rodriguez says there are often indicators to look out for: “Most likely kids are not going to come forward verbalizing some might and some may not. So pay attention to the things that kids are not saying, to their behavior. When kids become isolated, withdrawn, anxious, fearful, starting to avoid school like kids that used to like school and now all of a sudden are like, I don’t want to go to school. I really don’t want to be there. That’s a sign.”

She notes that whereas typically mother and father can get annoyed with faculty personnel, it’s finest to recollect they’re often in your facet, and connecting with them could allow you to get a deal with on what’s taking place. You may also be proactive in talking with academics or different directors.

“If your child has a history of being a victim of bullying, and you know that that happened last year, starting with connecting with the school personnel, sending emails, logging on to any meetings possible that you can get to know the people that are going to be there watching your children or your child so you can get those connections,” Rodriguez says.

On that topic, Rodriguez says you don’t want to attend for one thing unhealthy to occur to attach along with your youngster’s instructor. Gone are the times of ready for the parent-teacher convention — now expertise has made it straightforward to construct a relationship, which might assist keep away from potential points.

“There are several apps that schools are using to communicate directly with teachers. There are sort of like social media for schools where you can keep active and knowing what’s going on with your children and who are their teachers. Many times you can even see what’s going on in school because they post pictures and so on,” she explains.

Kids and expertise

On the subject of expertise, whereas it could support every thing we do, Rodriguez says it’s nonetheless essential to observe your youngster’s use to make sure they’re utilizing it appropriately and accountability: “We are training our children to be adults. So ultimately we give them what they need to make decisions that are healthy and they’re safe for themselves with our guide. So we use all of that, the parental controls and the structure really to guide them, to make those decisions on their own, hopefully.”

This can embody limiting time or use of expertise, and, particularly for older youngsters who could need extra privateness, speaking concerning the potential penalties of their habits.

“It’s all a balancing act. You have privacy with responsibilities, so when your responsibilities are not being kept, then your privacy needs to be monitored. Right. And I in and as long as we have agreements, the older children need to be brought to the table, there are certain things that are non-negotiable and that we don’t want to be too democratic about. But there are things that we should negotiate about,” Rodriguez says.