Like kids in so many cities and towns around the globe, the overwhelmed students in Michigan’s Van Buren Intermediate School District have been through a lot these past few years. The pandemic continues to disrupt classrooms, sicken friends and loved ones, and has left some district families jobless and homeless. In this district alone, there were three student suicide attempts since in-person school resumed in fall 2021, along with two student suicides last year. But…
Student stress is ever on the rise, and schools across the country say they’re seeing an uptick in disruptive behaviors as students are returning to classrooms. Some are obvious and visible, like students trashing bathrooms, fighting over social media posts, or running out of classrooms. Teachers report that others, however, are quieter calls for help, like students putting their heads down and refusing to talk. Alyssa Rodriguez expected a rocky readjustment this school year. The…
There is no denying that we are living in uncertain times, and many don’t know where to start with managing uncertainty and pandemic anxiety. No one knows exactly how or when the pandemic will end, or what it will mean for our lives and the lives of our loved ones in the future. There’s so much to worry about: health, finances, politics, and even our social fabric. I know I’m not the only one lying…
The first day of college can seem like the perfect storm of back to school anxiety. Between not knowing where your classes are, not knowing the people in your class, and having no idea how or where you’re going to find time to be a human being, feelings of fear and stress can put you in a dark place. And if you’re like me, who has always struggled with anxiety, big life events like this…
Teens aren’t always eager to share all their worries with their parents, but just because they haven’t said anything doesn’t mean they don’t have worries as they approach the start of the school year. High school can be a very stressful time: demanding academics, more responsibilities to juggle, a confusing social scene, and college and career on the horizon are all on their minds. If your teen isn’t open about her feelings, be on the…
Middle school is complicated—just ask any tween. For kids who learn and think differently, the changes in routine and growing school demands can be even more stressful. Here are some things you can do ahead of time to help ease those first-day jitters for middle schoolers. 1. Talk about what’s scary. At this age, it can seem like kids think about themselves all the time, but that doesn’t mean they’re self-aware. They might not know…
Summertime is often a much-needed break for kids from the demands and stresses of school. So when elementary schoolers have to head back to school, they may be especially nervous. You may not be able to remove all the anxiety, but here are some ways you can help calm your child’s first-day nerves. 1. Focus on feelings. Young kids don’t always have the words to express their emotions, and certain learning and thinking differences can…
Ava had always felt comfortable at the small, private K-8 school she attended just north of Boston, but in high school everything changed. Ava first began to experience anxiety and depression after her parents divorced when she was still in grade school. These problems increased as she entered her teen years, and became even more severe in ninth grade, when she enrolled at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, a vast campus with nearly 2,000 students.…
When kids at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School act up, they aren’t sent straight to the principal’s office. Instead, many students at the high-poverty school in Nashville go to the mindfulness room. The serene space is awash in sunlight and brimming with plants. There are yoga mats, toys, a lounging nook and soothing music drifting out of a desk speaker. In this room, teacher Riki Rattner, who is also trained as a yoga instructor, helps…
