August can be difficult for both children and parents. Fear and anxiety over the new school year, and sadness for summer’s end can cause a lot of stress. As families get ready for school, parents can be overwhelmed by the pressure that comes from dealing with children’s needs, as well as the daily work and household responsibilities. Back to school doesn’t have to mean back to the crazy life. Help your kids, and thereby yourself, to de-stress the start of the school year. Here are some simple strategies to help overcome common back-to-school obstacles:
- Create a schedule. Buy a planner and write down every activity as soon as you learn about it. When you get sports and activity schedules, write down every practice and every game. Make time weekly for the family to review and coordinate schedules to avoid miscommunication and stress later on. Decide what is important and schedule time for it.
- Just say no. Taking on unessential things can limit valuable time with your family. Before you say yes to anything, decide if you really have the time. Learn to say “no” when necessary. Remember volunteer opportunities can wait, but your family can’t.
- Make lists. Planning and organization are two of the best ways to avoid stress. Make lists of daily responsibilities for everyone in the family. If you keep things organized, you should be able to eliminate a lot of unneeded stress for everyone. Prioritize and delegate whatever tasks you can. You may need to put aside tasks that are not essential to make time for those that are.
- Make time for yourself. Even just ten minutes two or three times a week of “me” time can help refresh your mood and slow down your body’s stress response systems. You have to take care of yourself before you can really take care of others.
