Kids feel it. Parents feel it. The pressure of going back to school.

Dr. Sara Coffey, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and a child and adolescent psychiatrist at OSU Center for Health Sciences, offers advice on making the back-to-school transition easier for everyone including how to manage stress and expectations, and what tools can help make the transition smoother.

We know about getting school supplies and the clothes for the new school year. Should parents also get their kids prepared mentally for going back to school?

Absolutely. I think all of us, whenever we're making a transition, want to mentally prepare for what that's going to be like. Parents can play a really significant role in helping kids know what to expect when they're going back to school and what they need to do to prepare.

When should parents begin preparing their children mentally for school? Is the week before school enough, or should families begin earlier?

I really encourage parents to be attuned to their kids. Some kids need a little bit more of a runway to know what to expect. Others, if you plant the seed too soon, it might be a little bit more anxiety-producing for them.

How can parents tell the difference between normal first day nerves and signs that a child may be experiencing anxiety or need additional support?

I think a little bit of nervousness before the school year starts is totally normal. I think things we start to get concerned about is that if it's really impacting functioning — kids are refusing to get out of bed, getting concerned about school starting, are really preoccupied with worry — to the point they can't enjoy their life. That's when I'd be concerned as a parent.

What are some warning signs that parents can look for?

I would be looking at levels of distress. If you're not able to soothe and comfort your child, if your child is really preoccupied with school, they're constantly worried about school, and this is really impacting them from going out with their friends and enjoying the rest of the summer. Those would be some things that I'd be concerned about.

What are some things that every parent can do to help their child have a successful start to the school year?

I think one of the most important things we can do as parents is make sure that we're putting our oxygen mask on first. If we're really anxious about the start of the school year, our kids are going to be really impacted by it. So making sure that we're taking care of ourselves is really important for the health and well-being of our kids.

I think a strength-based perspective and a growth mindset is so important for kids. Oftentimes, there's a lot of pressure put on kids for great grades. But we know that school is a place for learning, and part of learning also comes with some failures that we can learn from. So really, supporting kids to succeed and to try can be so important for their well-being.

What are the benefits of being mentally prepared for school for both the students and the parents?

I'm certainly biased as a mental health provider, but really, when we are not emotionally well, when we're not mentally well. It's really hard for us to come to school and be cognitively well when we're more focused on how we're feeling, our concerns and our fears. But if we're coming prepared, if we're excited about the school year, it's going to open up all this opportunity for great learning that can occur in the classroom.