Parents Lead provides essential resources to support families during back-to-school transitions

The transition from summer vacation to getting back into a routine and returning to school can be challenging for some children and families. It’s a mixture of emotions, new schedules, transitions and a lot of unknowns.

Parents Lead, a North Dakota program administered by the North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS), has resources to help parents, caregivers and professionals support the behavioral health and well-being of children year-round.

“Going back to school can be a stressful time for children and families,” said Sara Kapp, administrator in the HHS Behavioral Health Division. “Whether it’s a child’s first day of kindergarten or moving to middle or high school, we want to help give parents and caregivers simple strategies to help make it a smooth transition.”

Here are a few ways to help with the transition:

Talk about it: Encourage your child to share their feelings about starting school. Listen to their concerns, let them know their feelings are valid and reassure them that it’s okay to feel anxious about these changes.

Set up routines: Having a steady routine can make kids feel more secure. Try to establish regular sleep times, healthy meals and scheduled times for homework and relaxation to help them adjust to the school year’s rhythm.

Prepare ahead of time: If there are school orientations, attend them so your child can meet their teachers, find their classrooms, and get familiar with the school layout. If there isn’t an orientation, visit the school beforehand. Practicing morning routines, like getting ready for the bus or figuring out the route to school, can also be helpful.

Encourage friendships: Help your child reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. Encouraging face-to-face interactions can make the transition back to school easier and more fun. Help them explore new activities or clubs to engage with others.

Parents Lead also offers professionals who work directly with children, parents and families a wide variety of information on recognizing the signs and symptoms of behavioral health concerns, prevention and early intervention strategies, treatment and recovery services, and other resources. For more information, visit ParentsLead.org.