Back To School Routines Which Promote

Good Mental Health for Teens

 Student Mental Health Challenges

Student mental health challenges such as anxiety, social anxiety, depression, stress, school refusal, and fear of school can be significant concerns for parents and students alike during the back-to-school season. As adolescents and teens prepare to return to the academic setting, it’s essential for parents like you to be aware of these potential difficulties. Understanding and addressing the impact of the challenges listed in this back-to-school guide and using the mental health checklist will enable you to help your child navigate their transition back to the classroom. 

1. Communicate

As the school year approaches, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open so you can best understand how your child is feeling and to build your emotional connection with them. When starting a conversation, keep in mind that if you’re asking questions, it could feel like an interrogation to your adolescent or teen. To ensure they’ll be more open to responding honestly and get them to start talking, try “I noticed” statements. For example, you could say, “I noticed you seem nervous about going back to school.”  

As part of your communication process, practice active listening. Avoid multitasking to give your full attention to your adolescent or teen, face them with welcoming body language, and make eye contact in a relaxed, uncritical manner. Giving your undivided attention will help you listen attentively so you can paraphrase what’s said and withhold judgment and advice. 

2. Help them prioritize sleep & healthy eating habits

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages 6-12 should get nine to 12 hours of sleep per night, while teens 13-18 should get eight to 10 hours. So, it’s important your adolescent or teen prioritizes getting good sleep as they head back to school. However, if your child is sleeping too much, that can affect their mental and physical well-being. Early start times at school can add to this issue, as an adolescent or teenager who’s always tired can have difficulty getting up for and functioning well in class.  

To promote healthy sleep hygiene and habits, you can help your child develop a bedtime routine; encourage reduced caffeine use; limit social media and technology use; and encourage exercise, yoga, and mindfulness.  Where possible it is good to maintain a scheduled bedtime on weekends; this helps to regulate their natural body clock, making it easier to wake up during the week.

Eating good, healthy food provides their bodies with vital nutrients and energy throughout the day, as well as supporting brain function for learning. When adolescents are stressed, it taxes their immune system making them susceptible to any viruses doing the rounds and school.   

3. Build a support network

Many adolescents, teenagers, and their families are carrying the burden of mental health issues alone. That’s because building a mental health support network can be difficult, as it can be tough to connect with and trust others. But that network can provide your child with essential support as they head back to class — and during the school year.  

The people in your child’s support network should be active listeners who take your adolescent or teen’s well-being seriously. They should be people your family receives love and support from. You can find them in churches, at schools, on sports teams, or at other group activities. 

4. Encourage practicing gratitude

Practicing gratitude can be a powerful tool for adolescents and teens facing mental health challenges during the back-to-school season, as it can help shift their focus beyond the struggles or frustrations of life. By expressing appreciation for “the little things,” such as supportive friends or even the opportunity to learn, they can cultivate a more positive mindset and build their resilience. This allows them to navigate challenges with a more optimistic perspective. Consider encouraging your adolescent or teen to keep a gratitude journal or to do something as simple as creating a note on their phone that lists positive aspects about school so they can look at them on a regular basis. 

5. Establish a routine

Establishing a routine can greatly benefit adolescents and teens as they transition back to class, making it an important part of the mental health checklist in this back-to-school guide. Work with your child to create a structured schedule. When they implement it, they can experience several advantages: 

• A sense of stability: A routine provides a sense of stability and predictability, which can help reduce anxiety and stress. 
• Enhanced time management: Following a routine helps students effectively manage their time, allowing for a better balance between academics, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments. 
• Improved self-care: Incorporating self-care activities into the routine, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, and time for hobbies, can contribute to better mental health and overall well-being. 
• Better focus and productivity: A structured routine helps adolescents and teens stay organized, prioritize tasks, and maintain focus, enhancing productivity and reducing feelings of overwhelm.

For more detailed information about student mental health challenges you can visit the full article here; Back-to-School Guide: Supporting Students’ Mental Health

By Aundraea Stevens

Convenor of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee