Helping Kiddos Handle back-to-school Stress
Backpacks are packed, new shoes are tied, and school bells are ringing again. For many children, the first weeks of school bring excitement, a chance to see friends, learn new things, and step into another year of growth. But for many families I work with, this season also carries a quieter truth: back-to-school can be overwhelming and full of dread.
The transition from the rhythms of summer to the structure of school isn’t always simple. Bright lights, loud hallways, new teachers, and changing routines can create a perfect storm for stress especially for kids who experience the world with heightened sensitivity. For some, that stress looks like tears or meltdowns. For others, it hides under the surface as stomachaches, headaches, or the sudden insistence that they just don’t want to go.
As a licensed professional counselor, I often remind parents that these reactions aren’t signs of weakness. They’re signals. Just as adults feel drained after a long day of meetings, children feel the weight of constant adjustment. Their bodies and emotions are telling the story; sometimes louder than their words.
The good news is that small shifts can make a big difference. Here are a few practices families can lean on this school year:
Create soft landings at home. Even 15 minutes of quiet, screen-free downtime after school helps kids reset before diving into homework or activities.
Use sensory tools. Noise-reducing headphones, fidget toys, or a favorite soft sweater can give children a sense of control when environments feel overstimulating.
Name the feelings. Saying, “It looks like your body feels too tired and loud right now,” helps kids feel understood rather than “too much.”
Practice predictable routines. Consistent morning and evening steps with same order, same rhythm, reduce the mental load of decision-making.
And above all, remember that children learn resilience not by avoiding stress, but by moving through it with support. When parents model calm, offer choices, and affirm their child’s feelings, kids slowly discover that even big emotions are survivable.
This message is close to my heart, not just as a counselor, but as a mom. My son’s experiences, along with my own, inspired me to write a children’s book, Not Today, Noodles, which gently validates kids who struggle with sensory sensitivities around food. In our home, and in the families I support, I’ve seen how much it matters for children to hear: “Your feelings are real. Your body makes sense. And you are not alone.”
So as another school year begins, I encourage families to see the stress not as a sign of failure but as an invitation to slow down, listen more closely, and remind our kids that bravery doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes it looks like simply showing up, one gentle day at a time.
