A Zen Guide to Relieving Back-to-School Jitters!

The squeeze. The squeeze got me through years of school and can still comfort me to this day. When I was a young child about to start my very first day of pre-school I was embarrassed to hug my mother. She thought of the squeeze. So, every day before I would go to school she would make me squeeze her hand ever so tight and she would squeeze mine right back. To this day a squeeze from someone I love can still calm my nerves and relax me. It was that support and simple gesture that made going back to school no sweat.

Breakfast goes a long way. Making your child that extra special breakfast for that extra special day can make a big difference. Having a good meal in the morning is a great way to start the day on a positive note. It can help easy the morning jitters and but your child at ease. Focusing on cooking breakfast might even calm you down a bit!

Don't embarrass them! Even when children are still young they can be embarrassed by their parents. Their in school now! They can't just be hugging their mom and dad in public, big kids don't do that remember? Sometimes going that extra mile to treat them like a big kid on their first day will boost their confidence and help put them at ease. We all know what it's like to be horrified your mom is going to say something that the other kids will never let you live down.

Packing a note. Make sure this is subtle. Your child will appreciate a heartfelt note to help get them through the day. You should make sure the note is short but sweet, your child will want to keep this to his or her self. It can be quite embarrassing if they pull out a 3 page note talking about how much you love. All children want the love and adoration of their parents, they just don't want the other kids to know they want it. I would suggest to stop giving notes around 6th grade. If caught with a note at that age, the other children will probably not let your child forget it.

It's good to establish a bed time 2 or 3 weeks prior to the start of school. It helps to get the child back into the groove of school so they are not strung out and exhausted their first day back. Even just cutting back 10 or 20 minutes will help them adjust better. Personally, I believe getting a great nights sleep 2 days prior to going back to school is fantastic. When I was a child I almost never slept the day before my first day back to school because I was so nervous with anticipation.

If possible I suggest letting your child meet their new teacher before the beginning of the school year. If they have a general idea of where their class will be, who their teacher is, what they look like, what the classroom looks like, they will be much more at ease. Possibly even more so at ease than usual, because they will know things most of the other children won't.

Conversation is always a fantastic way to take their mind off of the day ahead. While their eating breakfast talk to them about the sports they play, what friends they missed the most, what they want to do when they get home, etc. Try to focus on things they enjoy and relax them, rather than diving into a conversation about school that may just get them more worked up.

Don't rush! Have all their supplies packed and ready to go the night before. Take out the dishes you will be using for their meal in the morning. Sometimes even waking them up a few minutes early can help. It gives them more time to prepare themselves. The worst feeling when your nervous is having to rush to get ready, because then you get even more stressed and begin thinking you forgot something or didn't do everything you should have done. Give them enough time to have about 5 minutes to just sit down and relax before their out the door heading to school.

Let your child pick out the outfit they want to wear the first day (within reason of course). It will empower them and make them feel more grown-up. These feelings will quickly help build up their confidence for the coming day. Sometimes it's the simple things like picking out clothes, breakfast, or getting to ride in the front seat (as long as they are physically large enough to do so) on the way to school. Let them feel more grown-up and you will boost their self-esteem and confidence. If they believe in themselves they will have no trouble the first day of school.

One of the most important things to remember is to let your child know ever other kid there feels the exact same way. Everyone is nervous their first day of school. When I was 14, I was waiting at the bus stop with my best friend for our first day of high school. As soon as I saw the bus round the corner I vomited into a bush because of how incredibly nervous I was. Nerves can get to all of us no matter how old we are. So, take care of your child and do everything you can to let them know they aren't alone in the way their feeling.