Welcome Back!

As we transition back into the school year, we swap the vacation bags for backpacks, the beach apparel for new school outfits, and the slower pace for another exciting year. Back to school season is filled with new starts, but there are some key things to keep in mind to make that new start a great new start. 

Below are some tips to ensure the start to the year is as smooth as possible:

• Pack their “Bag of Resources”: Many students have grown in so many ways over the summer– socially, physically, emotionally. Adolescence, in the best of times, is a tumultuous period. It’s helpful to remind students that there are adults who can help them. Remind them that they can talk with you about things that are on their mind. In school, they can speak with their teachers, school counselor, school psychologist, and even their principals.
   

• Return to the Routines: Summer has a way of breaking schedules that students develop over the year. Slowly re-introduce your school year schedule now to make the adjustment easier. For instance, if bedtimes were pushed out try decreasing them by 10 or 15 minutes per day until they are at an appropriate level. Remember, in adolescence 9 to 10 hours of quality sleep are recommended. Mornings are particularly challenging in adolescence, so you may want to work on developing morning routines now so there are fewer headaches when the first day rolls around!
  
  

• Remind them of the Importance of Relationships: It’s natural to be nervous or uneasy about a new school year. For some students, they’re with a new group of peers they’ve never met before. However, reminding them that there is power in connecting is vital. In fact, most students don’t know that even their teachers get a little nervous about the first day of school. Especially for the first few weeks of school, try to limit access to social media where possible and encourage your student to start developing their network of relationships– meeting and connecting with teachers, branching out and expanding their friend groups, or even joining a club or a team.  

For some more “bite-sized” back to school tips, try any of the following:

• Suggest that they try five minutes of mindfulness to ease anxiousness. All Haddonfield students have access to the Calm platform. They can even pop in their headphones and listen from a phone, tablet, or computer! Research suggests that even a few minutes of mindfulness a day can strengthen parts of the brain (Lazar et al, 2005)!

• Ask your student how they’re feeling. Try digging deeper or changing how you’re asking if you get the classic ‘good’ or ‘fine’ or some other monosyllabic response.

• Spend a few minutes helping them plan their lunches/snacks. Parents often find that– come middle school– their student has seemingly developed the appetite of three children. Too often this means that the “path of least resistance” is whatever is ultra-processed and nutritionally worthless. Helping them choose healthier options often carries over into how they’re regulating themselves throughout the day.
  
  

I hope that you enjoy the rest of your summer and we cannot wait to see the students back in the halls come September.