It's not entirely uncommon to experience a myriad of emotions with the start to the school year. Even as a parent, I am feeling happy {yay for a schedule and structure again} and sad {boo to a schedule and structure again}. I am excited for my kids, yet miss them already. If this is how I feel as an adult I can only imagine the mix of emotions on our kids.
Some kids will express their nerves by saying, "I'm nervous {or excited, scared, happy...}, still others won't say anything but parents might see a change in behavior while their child adjusts.
I recently spoke with Dr. Mike Troy, a psychologist at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, and asked him some of his thoughts on back to school nerves.
1. Have patience
"Don't mistake all transitions as a disorder," Dr. Troy said. It's normal for kids to adjust to the start of the school year, to be nervous, to be excited. Just because the first week is an adjustment doesn't mean your child has a clinical diagnosis, it just means be patient and continue to see how they adjust.
2. Compare
Last school year how was your child doing by the third week of school? How were they doing by Halloween? Look back and decide how long the adjustment took last year. Do you see a change in their behavior? Are they typically a happy, outgoing child who now seems withdrawn? Then it might be time to have a conversation with your child's teacher.
How are they doing compared to other kids at the same developmental stage? There is a wide range.