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Editor’s note: It’s time for kids to head back to school, a time
that can be as stressful for parents as it is for students. We asked
high school guidance counselor Sara Eden for some advice to share
with parents as the school year begins.
As a parent, you may be contemplating the upcoming
school year with mixed emotions.
Maybe you are ready for some healthy time apart from
your child. Perhaps you are mourning the loss of free time as
a family. You may feel anxious when you think about getting
back into carpools and the flurry of afternoon activities that
come with the school year.
So, my first bit of advice is to empathize with your child.
Our kids are feeling the same range of emotions, more in
tensely, and have less experience managing them.
It’s natural to struggle with transitions, so tolerate some
ambivalence from your child about the new school year. If
your child doesn’t “hit the ground running,” there is no need
to jump to conclusions based on behaviors you see in the first
couple weeks of school. Give him or her (and yourselves!) a lit
tle time to adjust.
That being said, as parents, you can help ease your child
back into a routine. For many children, though they resist at
first, the structure of the school year is comfortable for them.
So whether it’s family dinners or earlier bedtimes, start try
ing to integrate some of the school year routine back into your
children’s lives. Depending on your child, you may be able to
exert some influence over his or her bedtime to help with the
adjustment. However, with a lot of teens, you may have to
watch them walk zombie-like out of the house during those
first couple of weeks until they self-impose an earlier bedtime.
Parents can help children realize that they need the healthy
meals at home, and more consistent exercise and sleeping hab
its that come with the school year to perform their best and to
combat any stress they may face.
As a parent, you may feel the need to have a conversation
with your child about his or her
goals for the upcoming year. In the
workplace, a goal-setting conversa
tion may serve to motivate and fo
cus an employee, but the majority
of teenagers will shut down as soon
as they hear “So, what are your
goals for this year?” Instead, ini
tiate informal conversations with
your children about what they are
looking forward to in all areas of
school life: academic, social and ex
tracurricular.
Reconnecting with friends is a
huge motivator for teens as they
contemplate going back to school.
Help your children focus on the positive aspects of the new
year: new opportunities to get involved, new privileges, new
friends. Reassure them that you are there to help if help is
needed. Above all else, leave your agenda for your child’s
school year out of the conversation, and focus on his or her
thoughts and concerns.
Getting kids excited or motivated to go back to school is a
tough job for a parent. I would argue that it is almost impos
sible, as motivation really can’t be given. Instead, help your
children embrace the responsibility of being a student. Be tol
erant of their mixed emotions and behaviors as the new year
begins, establish healthy routines, and emphasize the positive
aspects of school life.
Ultimately, you are in this together, working your way
through one of life’s many transitions, and your modeling and
guidance will help your child face future life changes down the
road. Good luck, and welcome back to school!
Sara Eden is a licensed clinical social worker and the upper
school guidance counselor at Pace Academy.
SARA
EDEN
GUEST COLUMN
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Read these articles from our
“It seems to me we are making a lot of
law-abiding citizens into law breakers.”
— Dunwoody City Councilwoman Lynn
Deutsch upon realizing the city’s zoning
ordinances limit to three the number of pets
in a household.
“Although moving a historic building in
tact is always preferred, partial disassembly is a tried-and-true
preservation approach.”
— Wright Mitchell, president of Buckhead Heritage, on the
upcoming move of the historic Randolph-Lucas House from
Buckhead to Ansley Park.
“They’re happy to see us and we’re definitely glad to be here.”
—Brookhaven Police Lt. Brandon Gurley on the creation of the
city’s new police department.
“That wasn’t necessarily in the city of
Brookhaven’s best interest. It was in the city
of Chamblee’s best interest.”
—Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis, on a
November vote to annex the Century Center
office complex into Chamblee. Tl/e owners of
the complex have asked to be annexed into
Brookhaven.
“I’m nervous. I feel like a freshman again.”
—A student passing through the metal detectors on the first day of
school at the new North Atlanta High School campus.
“I think at the end of the day, the idea of the first in-town At
lanta golf cart community, it has a lot of appeal.”
—Brookhaven City Councilman Bates Mattison, proposing to
bring golf carts to the city.
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6 | AUG.9—AUG.22,2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
