10 Ways Parents Can Manage School Stress and Anxiety

School can be an exciting time for kids — they get to reunite with their friends, embrace a new timetable, and learn new things every day. But it can also be a time that’s steeped in stress and anxiety.

Let’s face it: School can be an intimidating, pressure-packed place. That’s because an array of factors can affect your child’s mental health. There are heaps of social woes (like difficulty making friends or trouble participating in groups), academic pressures (like acing tests and achieving university requirements), and transitional changes (like starting a new school and meeting new kids) weighing on your little ones. That’s a lot for them to handle.

The good news is there are a few ways you can help, including a membership with Maple. Maple gives you and your family daily access to Canadian licensed primary care providers, such as doctors and nurse practitioners, who can address health challenges over secure text, audio, or video call 24/7/365 within minutes.

All you need is one membership for your entire family to reap the benefits; you can add your kids under 18 years old to your Maple account as patients, so everyone can get daily access to primary care — or a path to specialized, personalized care if needed. Depending on your province, Maple provides access to specialists, mental health therapists, and registered dietitians who can help you solve most worries your child brings home from school.

For even more peace of mind for your kids, you can connect with a paediatric primary care nurse practitioner from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST seven days a week. 

Here are 10 ways you can manage your kid’s stress and anxiety and how a membership on Maple can help. 

Encourage open communication

To help your child feel safe coming to you with their problems, create a supportive space where they’ll feel comfortable opening up to you. Practice active listening, giving them your full attention when they’re speaking, and take time to consider your response and reactions, being careful to avoid criticism or shame. Concentrate on validating their emotions and empathize with what they’re going through. Ask open-ended questions to prompt your child to share more, and check in regularly with them.

Set realistic expectations

Does your child feel too much pressure from outside sources to get top marks, join the most teams, or say yes to every social event? Help them set achievable goals that’ll relieve them of unnecessary pressure.

Need help? A mental health physician* on Maple can talk to you to learn where these pressures stem from, how to manage them, and how to take control of any potential mental health disorders that could be prompting such feelings.

Teach time management skills

When kids learn how to organize their time efficiently, they become more organized, which can help reduce stress and anxiety. Encourage your child to use a planner to keep track of assignments and important dates. Also, show them how to break down their to-do list by dividing big projects into digestible tasks, and teach them how to prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency. 

Establish a consistent routine

Want to know the secret of any calm and collected student? A structured routine. Help your child create and stick to a daily schedule, and it can help eliminate stress and anxiety by:

• Providing a sense of predictability so they feel more in control
• Promoting healthy habits, offering them an opportunity to schedule good-for-them activities like eight hours of sleep and exercise into their everyday
• Increasing efficiency by eliminating the pressure of forgotten duties
• Creating a sense of normalcy, helping children feel more grounded

Make sleep a priority

When you have a mental health concern, any doctor will likely start their assessment by asking you one very important question: Are you getting enough sleep? That’s because sleep is crucial for helping the body regulate hormones such as cortisol, which rises when we’re stressed. School-age kids need much more sleep than we do — kids between the ages of six and 12 require nine to 12 hours of sleep per night, and teenagers require eight to 10. That’s why you notice a major shift in your child’s mood when they go to bed on time. A solid, deep sleep can regulate emotions and prevent anxious thoughts. 

Have a little one who’s having trouble getting their vitamin Z’s? You’ll be extra grateful you’re part of our membership — you can request to book a sleep therapist, and they can help you and your child establish a sleep hygiene routine and tips on how to sleep through the night.

Help them boost their physical activity

When people of any age move their bodies, their brain releases feel-good chemicals (also known as endorphins), which improve their mood, boost their energy levels, and help them have a good night’s sleep. This is certainly the case for kids, too. Engaging in physical activity, whether attending gym class or participating in after-school sports, can help them feel better about themselves, improve their health, and let go of stress and anxiety. 

Teach them healthy eating habits

A balanced diet — one that’s full of fresh vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and meats, such as the Mediterranean diet — can help improve mood and reduce stress. To establish a healthy meal plan for your family and teach your child healthy eating habits, consider talking to a registered dietitian on Maple. A dietitian can assess your current cooking and eating habits and develop a personalized meal plan that fits your family’s needs and lifestyle. They can also provide tips for kids on how to make food choices that are healthy, enjoyable, and free of any guilt or shame.

Use relaxation techniques

Deep breathing, meditation, and journaling can help reduce your little one’s stress and anxiety by lowering their heart rate and boosting their mood. A mental health therapist can walk you and your kids through the best ways to execute relaxation techniques so they’re most effective and can share hacks for on-the-go doses of calm that you can pepper throughout your day.

Be a model for stress management

You know this by now, but here’s a reminder: Kids learn by example. It helps if they see you practicing healthy stress management, such as eating well, moving your body, making time for laughter, getting enough sleep, and practicing relaxation techniques.

Need help managing your stress? Our mental health therapists aren’t just there for your kids’ problems during stressful back-to-school time — they’re there for you any time. Book an appointment with them to get your stress levels under control, and you can teach your kids how they can do the same. And if you’re taking the much-needed time off to help manage your stress, remember that Maple primary care providers can talk to you no matter where you are — whether you’re travelling within Canada or abroad.

Don’t have time to speak to a therapist? Self-guided cognitive behavioural therapy is available on the Maple app for members so that you can go at your own pace. 

Recognize when professional help is needed

If your child has persistent or severe stress or anxiety, consider seeking help from a mental health professional, such as a mental health physician. These physicians can help determine if your little one has challenges that require more intervention and whether medication or additional therapy could benefit them. Dependents can access mental health services through our membership as long as you or another caregiver is present.

As your child embarks on another school year, it’s important to keep their mental health at the forefront. School can be a wonderful place for growth and learning, but it can also be a source of stress and anxiety. By staying attuned to your child’s emotional needs and providing them with the tools and support they need, you can help them navigate these challenges with resilience.

The information presented here is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace the advice from your medical professional. Virtual care is not meant for medical emergencies. If you are experiencing an emergency like chest pain or difficulty breathing, for example, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

*Only available in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec.