Teen and children back to school anxiety

Children and teens are heading back to school, and the new school year brings big feelings to manage. It is very normal for children and teens to experience new school year jitters, but for children and teens, who may also struggle with anxiety and depression, taking out a new school year, can bring some extra challenges. As a child and teen therapist, I spend significant time talking with children and teens about different grounding skills that they can use in the classroom. While of course, we always encourage parents to advocate for any additional accommodations that are needed through the school district, there are many coping and grounding tools that can be integrated into almost every classroom.

Today we are going to take some time to discuss and share the links to some of my favorite classroom, friendly coping, and grounding skills. The goal of these specific tools is that are discrete, in compliance with most school rules, and able to equip children and teens with the coping tools that they need For grounding and regulation without causing a scene.

Here are some of my favorites:

Fidgets for your digits.

These are sometimes also called acupressure rings. Unlike fidgets, spinners, stress, balls, and some other fidgets that are on the market today, this tool is extremely small, can fit into any pencil bag, pocket, or jacket, makes no noise, but can create sensory stimulation, and get some anxious energies out without causing distraction. Children and teens can simply slip these small rings onto their fingers while sitting at their desks, or even place their hands under their desks, and roll the ring up and down each finger quietly. Even better is, they’re extremely affordable, so children and teens can either share them with friends or have no worries if one gets lost along the way. (Find them here)

Strategic accessorizing.

Similar to the fidget for your digit, many people find that having something to keep their hands, busy or fidget with can be a great way to manage anxiety responses for some extra anxious energies. Oftentimes, very basic “accessories“ can also serve double purposes as fidgets. be at a bracelet with beads, a necklace with something that dangles off of it, a jacket with a string for twisting and twirling, a hair, rubber band, or hair tie, or a jacket zipper. Often times there may be fidgets that are built into everyday items that your child or teen enjoys wearing, and with some strategic accessory selection, we can equip children and teens with great fidgets for some extra anxious energy.

Peppermints or sour candies.

While every school has different rules related to food consumption in the classroom, if your school does permit mints, these are great tools for sensory stimulation and regulation, that again, cause no noise and are easy to access and store. It is always my suggestion that clients pick mints or candies that have a very strong taste to them. When we had an anxious moment, we need to get connected back to our body and to the moment. Sometimes we need to quiet the shake-up to get fully grounded and back into our bodies, and a strong, tasting mint or sour candy can sometimes do the trick.

Scented lotion, hand sanitizer or Chapstick.

Smell has a very strong grounding sensation and can be used very easily as a regulation tool, or coping skill when needing to get out of an anxious thought pattern or reroute some thoughts into a better healthier direction. Carrying a small bottle of scented lotion, hand sanitizer, or Chapstick can be a great way to incorporate the sense of smell into a grounding activity. Again, it’s very easy to apply lotion or hand sanitizer, or Chapstick, without calling much attention to oneself, but the impact can be much greater than the personal hygiene.

Cold water.

Most schools permit, and even encourage children and teens to carry water bottles for hydration purposes. And hydration is an important part of emotional regulation. (Sidenote, our brains are 73% percent water (1), so dehydration or lack of water availability in the body actually has a pretty significant impact on the brain’s ability to function at its best). But more than the hydration factor, often times people who are experiencing anxiety or episodes of panic report feeling very hot or experienced an elevated body temperature. Consistently carrying cold water in a water bottle or an insulated water cup can be a great way to make sure that cold water is available as a regulation tool whenever you need it. And again, no one will think you are silly or weird or suspect any kind of emotional distress when you’re simply drinking water.

As you take on the new school year with your child and team, get creative with what grounding skills and tools, you might be able to equip them with as they think about back-to-school accessories and needs. Coping skills can be fine, so get creative with it, shop around, do some research, and see what fits the needs of your child and works within your child’s school rules.

And if you are looking for a child or teen therapist to help your family transition back into the school year, we would love to help! Our team has a variety of options for parents, children, and teens as they transition back into the school year. Whether through group therapy, online therapy, or individual in-person therapy at our Arlington, Texas-based therapy office, we have options to meet your needs.

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