Back to School: 3 ways to help kids and their mental health

Emily Greene, author of "School, Disrupted: Rediscovering the Joy of Learning in a Pandemic-Stricken World" shared these three ways that kids can protect their mental health as they transition back to school during these challenging times.

Here's what Greene suggests ...

1. Make a family commitment to prioritize mental health.

This can be as simple as agreeing not to let the little things slide. For example, decide to support each other in always getting a good night’s sleep, staying active, eating healthy, and spending time in nature. Try to eat meals together, when possible, do chores together, and make time for play. These small acts of family togetherness can be the anchor that helps kids deal with the uncertainties of the return to school.

2. Encourage and remind our children to use their own creativity to face challenges.

Why is it that children don’t always think to use their innate creativity during challenging times? This year is bound to present new and unforeseen difficulties, whether it be new mask mandates, academic challenges, or friendship struggles. Let’s remind our kids that their creativity is a source of resilience and strength that allows them to come up with multiple solutions to any problem that arises. Let’s encourage them to feel empowered to use creativity to develop positive ways to face challenging situations. Tapping into their own creativity gives kids a source of strength and autonomy.

3. Remind kids that they should be psychologically flexible

Inflexibility can lead to anxiety. Let’s remind our kids about the importance of being psychologically flexible and then model this behavior for them at home. There are many unknowns about this upcoming school year, including worrying about how the Delta variant (or future variants) might impact in-person learning. By reminding kids that uncertainty and change are to be expected, we can give them the confidence to intentionally try to be more flexible and adaptive in the face of change. Remind them how much they have adapted in the last 18 months and encourage them to view their own flexibility and adaptability as strengths. When kids have confidence in their own flexibility, it will help them feel more resilient, confident, and at ease.