Tips to prepare for school transitions

The start of a new school year can bring excitement, growth and new opportunities. In addition, major school transitions can create stress for children, tweens, teens and parents. Whether your child is starting kindergarten, moving to middle school or entering high school, establishing routines, supporting mental health and encouraging healthy habits can help make the adjustment easier.

Use these back-to-school transition tips to help your child start the school year feeling confident and prepared.

Preparing for kindergarten

The transition from preschool to kindergarten can be tough. Children will need to get used to a new building with new rules, teachers and students. There are things you can do before the start of school to help a child prepare:

• Establish a routine for mornings and evenings. Make lists with photos to remind kids of tasks or activities and what items they need to bring to school. You can also use apps, digital checklists and electronic calendars to assist in building routines and structure.
• Set a sleep schedule before school starts. This includes a sleep routine with no screen time at least one hour before bed. If your child has been staying up late and sleeping in, it can be easier to start waking a little earlier each morning versus attempting to get them into bed earlier. Adjust their bedtime as they become sleepy earlier at night.
• Visit the school before the first day to familiarize yourself with new surroundings. Taking away uncertainty will help a child ease into a new environment and reduce back-to-school anxiety.
• Explain what the school day will look like. Talk with them about what their day and week might look like, the types of rules they’re expected to follow, and describe what learning, lunch and play times will look like.

Helping elementary students thrive

As a child continues through elementary school, the surroundings, faces and routines will likely be more familiar to them. This is a great time to build upon their routines, independence, healthy choices and responsibilities.

• Continue routines and include time for homework or studying. Include some free time to play and wind down.
• Teach your child how to prioritize. Embrace their increasing independence and responsibilities, while helping if they get stuck. If a project overwhelms your child, help them break down larger assignments into smaller parts.
• Allow them to make their own decisions when possible. Instead of giving orders, give your child the opportunity to make choices and have appropriate control.
• Let them experience the positive and negative consequences of their actions. If they get in trouble at school, allow the school to provide the in-school consequence. At home, show empathy and help your child decide how to make the next day better.

Transitioning to middle school

The transition to middle school might bring about some anxiety as most students transition to a new school with classroom changes.

Help ease unsettled feelings by being supportive of their new learning environments, friendships, experiences and emotions.

• Get to know the building, teachers and resources. Bring your tween to “back-to-school nights,” community activities and open houses held at the school.
• Make a map. Mark the location of each class on your child’s schedule and include other important places like their locker, the lunchroom, bathrooms, the gym, the nurse and the main office.
• Encourage them to try new things. Joining a club and other extracurricular activities can help them find their passion, determine what they do like and help them make friends who share their interests.
• Set up space at home for homework, projects and studying. Keep the area free from distractions and ensure it’s a comfortable place to spend time.
• Help them stay engaged. Be curious about what they are learning. Ask questions about specific subjects they are learning. Listen and try to avoid correcting them or disputing their ideas.

Supporting teens entering high school

Teens can have preconceived ideas about high school. The media can influence how teens view what school should be like. This stage can be full of exciting opportunities, more challenging curriculum and heightened emotions surrounding social situations, so it’s important for parents to stay involved.

• Explore the building before school starts and encourage your child to map out their classes as their schedules change throughout the year. Like the transition from elementary to middle school, your teen is no longer an upper-class student, and the building is likely a new environment.
• Embrace, encourage and understand their social lives. Teens can spend hours on the phone talking or texting with friends, even after they've been with them all day. Check in with them about their use of social media and how they believe it impacts their mental health.
• Help them build their identities by allowing them to spend the majority of their time with friends, at activities or a new job. As long as they’re safe and performing well in school, these social situations can help them explore interests that are important  to their futures.
• Check in with them often. Ask open-ended questions to avoid “yes” and “no” answers. This can help them recognize and process their different feelings, as well as help you give them suggestions and guidance.
• Set boundaries that work for your family with curfew, jobs, activities and social settings. This is a great time to talk about peer pressure and how to handle various tricky situations.
• Know that it’s okay you don’t know. You’re parenting under some circumstances that you did not live through. Technology, school curriculum and the teenage lifestyle changes often. There a books and other guiding materials that help prepare parents for the teenage experience. Read up and keep an open line of communication with your child who is experiencing these changes in their own way. 

Support healthy technology habits at every age

From kindergarten to senior year, students are more connected to their teachers, parents and each other than ever before through phones, social media, AI tools and digital learning platforms. You can prepare for this constant connection by:

• developing family expectations around screen time during school nights
• encouraging device-free meals and bedtime routines
• discussing responsible use of AI tools for schoolwork and personal use
• monitoring social media use and enforcing online safety regularly
• modeling healthy technology habits as a family

When to seek additional support

Some nervousness and adjustment challenges are normal during school transitions. However, any ongoing academic, emotional or behavioral concerns may signal that a student needs additional support. Early intervention can help prevent small challenges from becoming larger obstacles and can improve a child's confidence, wellbeing and long-term success in school.

Reach out to your child's teacher, school counselor, pediatrician or a mental health professional if your student:

• experiences significant anxiety or distress beyond the first few weeks of school refuses to go to school or complains of physical ailments, such as headaches or stomachaches, without a medical cause
• shows declining grades, motivation or classroom participation
• has trouble forming or maintaining friendships, or shows signs of being bullied
• experiences noticeable changes in sleep, appetite or mood, or withdraws from activities they enjoy
• expresses feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or excessive worry, or struggles to manage emotions

Remember, asking for help is a sign of strength, not failure. Health care professionals can provide valuable resources, strategies and support for school transitions so your child can learn and grow successfully.