Can you believe summer is nearly over? It feels like just yesterday we were putting away backpacks and notebooks for the season, and now it’s time to get them back out.
My friend Alena said the other day that August sometimes feels like we’re holding our breath. Summer vacation is ending (and maybe you found it wasn’t as restful as you expected), and now you’re waiting for the busyness of autumn and the new school year to hit you.
You’re buying school supplies, wondering when the education system changed the way people learn math, preparing lunches or lunch money, and worrying if you’ll have time for your own life while working to ensure your kids have the best lives possible.
It can feel overwhelming – no matter how many years of back-to-school experience you have. While some days you can’t wait for your kids to be out of school, you also don’t want to miss out on the days you’re currently living in.
We can’t stop the back-to-school season from coming, but we can prepare to live well in it. Here are some ways to cope with the stress of a new school year:
- Prayer
Maybe this isn’t the tip you were expecting. However, prayer should be how we start all things, shouldn’t it? In addition to being our lifeline to talking with God, prayer is also a great way to process your feelings. It can be helpful to pray over or with your kids, as they might be facing back-to-school anxiety or feeling nervous about a project or making friends. Our kids watch what we do, and they need to know that we, too, depend on God for our everyday concerns.
Prayer doesn’t have to look like devoting an entire hour to solitude in the morning. It can be as simple as praying aloud while you pack lunches or go through the car-rider line. It could even be creating a breath prayer, or showing your child how to create breath prayers to use throughout the day. Praying is something we can do anytime and anywhere.
- Community
They say it takes a village to raise a kid, but the village isn’t just for your child. The village is there to support and love you, too.
Something we often lose as adults, and especially once our children reach school age, is our own community and friends. It seems like a natural process as you make time for your child’s school, extracurricular activities, and play dates. But, you need community, too.
If your schedule allows, find time to meet with a friend or mentor once a week, once a month, or even just once a quarter. The more often you make room for this time in your schedule, the easier it will be to find time for it.
Maybe you don’t have any nearby friends, and texting or finding time for a phone or video call feels impossible. Try sending voice messages to a friend. You can even send video messages on apps like Marco Polo, and watch and respond to them as you have the time – maybe while folding laundry, running errands, or taking your lunch break at work.
Perhaps you’ve found that you don’t have any community in this current season. That can be so hard. This is where I’d recommend looking for a Bible study at your church, or you can ask an acquaintance to grab coffee or a meal together. If you have time in your schedule, join a book club, exercise group, or even find somewhere to volunteer. You might find a friend in the unlikeliest of places.
- Self Care
You might be thinking, “Self care who? I don’t have time or the budget for that.” I’d argue most of us have time for even a small act of self care each week. Self care doesn’t have to look like a massage or a trip to the spa or salon. (Although I do recommend trying to do something like that every now and then.)
Caring for yourself can look like doing a few stretches in bed first thing in the morning. Maybe it looks like painting your nails at home. Even though it might not be as restful, your child might want to join in on the fun and pick a nail polish of their own. Then you can become an example to those around you of why self care is important for everyone.
(Looking for more ways to take care of yourself? Here are five simple ways to prioritize your mental health.)
While you can’t stop stressful seasons or situations from happening, you can change how you handle them – including this fall as your children go back to school (and maybe you, too, if you’re a homeschool parent!). When you have helpful and healthy habits in place, it becomes easier to face the hard moments – yes, even when your kid forgets to tell you about the project that’s due tomorrow.
Here’s to a happy and less-stressed school year!
