I was one of those kids who admittedly loved school. I could not wait for school to start in the fall. I was excited to see my teachers and my friends, to get involved in school activities, to go to school, and to learn. In fact, I liked school so much that I rarely missed school. I was afraid I would miss out on something. In the summer time, I would take my workbooks home and play "school" with my stuffed animals and dolls all in a circle. I would complete the assignments the class didn't have a chance to get to during the school year. On top of that, my parents were very organized. School supplies, clothes and shoes were purchased well ahead of time. Since I liked school, it was natural for me to continue to go to school after high school. Then, I ultimately was an adjunct faculty member for three universities. For me, back to school was an exciting time...not a source of anxiety. Unfortunately, back to school is not like this for everyone. Many people including kids, teachers, and parents, face back to school stress.
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Kids are usually the focus of back to school stress discussions. Going back to school is a very stressful time for children. Not all kids like school or are even good at school. Going back to school could mean dealing with that teacher they didn't like, or the bully who wouldn't leave them alone last year, or maybe remembering that one of their good friends moved away. Some students might find school dull and uninteresting and others may find daily assignments to be overwhelming. According to KidsHealth.org, teens worried about schoolwork issues the most, followed by social issues, followed by appearance issues. For some students, trying to fit in is the hardest part about going to school. To alleviate back to school stress, the American Psychological Association recommends that parents: know neighbors, talk to kids about school, empathize (not sympathize) with kids' concerns, and become involved at school and know when to get help.
Teachers also have a lot of back to school stress. Teachers are preparing lesson plans, reading textbooks, creating tests and assignments, attending meetings, addressing needs and concerns of parents and students, and getting to know a whole group of new students. Students have only a few teachers they need to get to know. However, teachers and professors may have hundreds of new students they need to get to know. Of course, each student (and parents) expects the teachers or professors to know all about each individual's needs, learning style, concerns and goals. Teachers also may have been assigned a course they don't particularly like to teach, may have a classroom that is challenging, may experience parents who are bullies, and may have their own issues at work. Some teachers may be very excited about the new school year, while others may be experiencing burnout. The National Education Association asked a panel of teachers how they cope with stress. Of course, each teacher had a different method. Stress management techniques they use included quiet time, eating healthy, exercising, reading, spending time alone with loved ones, and remembering that the students are the reason they are teaching.
Parents experience back to school stress in many ways, as well. Parents may be experiencing stress because of the back to school "to do" list, getting vaccinations and doctors' appointments scheduled, purchasing new clothes, buying school supplies, registering students for classes, attending PTA meetings, being concerned about kids' learning, dealing with political issues in the school or the community, or reliving memories of their own school experiences. Moreover, kids who are experiencing stress may be causing increased behavioral problems at home, which adds to the parents' stress even further. The University of Florida, suggests that parents create a schedule with kids, budget for school supplies and back to school clothing, give children their own responsibilities for before and after school, and set a regular going to bed and getting up routine. Parents who plan ahead also can reduce their back to school stress. Working parents, in addition, are attempting to find a good work/life balance. The Society for Human Resources Management states that parents are often distracted at work dealing with back to school stress. Stressors for employees are back to school shopping, juggling work and school schedules, getting kids to and from school, child care, and things not working out as they had planned. Working parents should discuss their concerns and make their managers partners in their work/life balance pursuits. Employers should offer empathy and understanding to working parents who are dealing with back to school issues.
However, once kids, teachers, and parents get into a routine back to school stress should wane. Then, being in school will seem like the norm for the family.
Sources:
American Psychological Association. Dealing with Back-To-School Blues? found online at: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/school-rush.aspx
KidsHealth.org. What Stresses You Out About School? found online at: http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/school-stress.html
NEAToday.org. Back to School 2017: How to Keep Stress at Bay. found online at: http://neatoday.org/2017/08/03/back-to-school-2017-managing-stres/
University of Florida, IFAS Blogs. UF Expert Offers Ways For Parents, Children To Cope With Back-To-School Stress. found online at: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2017/07/28/uf-expert-offers-ways-parents-children-cope-back-school-stress/
Society for Human Resource Management. Back to School, Back to Stress. found online at: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/back-to-school-stress-.aspx
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