The return to school can bring excitement, but for some children it can also trigger anxiety. Symptoms may look different by age—from bedwetting, irritability and nightmares in younger children to difficulty concentrating, emotional outbursts, loss of confidence, or reluctance to try new things in older kids. Changes in routines, new teachers, academic pressures and social challenges can all contribute.
For parents, recognizing these signs and knowing how to respond can be challenging. Adi Wallach, CEO of CalmiGo, can offer practical, age-appropriate strategies to help parents identify anxiety early, create supportive back-to-school routines, and give children tools to manage overwhelming moments.
I had a chance to learn more in this interview.
What are some signs of back-to-school anxiety in children?
After a long summer break, going back to school can be exciting, but that excitement can also come with anxiety. Some nervousness before a new grade, teacher, or building is a completely normal response to change and usually settles on its own within a few days. The signs to watch more closely are the ones that are intense, persistent, or noticeably out of character for your child — that's often the difference between ordinary jitters and anxiety that may need more support. Symptoms may look different depending on the age of the child – it could range from bedwetting, irritability, and nightmares in younger children to difficulty concentrating, emotional outbursts, loss of confidence, or reluctance to try new things in older kids. A common symptom of anxiety in kids is getting stomach aches before going to school. Changes in routines, new teachers, academic pressures, and social challenges can all be contributing factors to back-to-school anxiety. It’s important for parents to watch for the signs and to be attuned to them so that they can provide guidance and take additional action when necessary.
How can families help manage some of the fears and worries around the transition back to school?
When children express their “worries” and feelings of anxiety, parents need to name the emotion – saying something like “it sounds like you are worried” is important so that feelings are labeled for the child, and they can become emotionally aware of their feelings. It's also helpful to do a simple check-in — asking your child to rate how anxious they feel on a scale from 1 to 5. This isn't a formal test, just an easy way for younger children to put a number to a feeling they may struggle to describe in words. If the anxiety is minor – which is also very normal – some encouraging words could be all they need to feel confident and face the day. However, if anxiety symptoms are significant, it's important to look at why. Consider whether there's an underlying cause and, where needed, address it with your child and the school. As a general guide, most back-to-school jitters ease within the first two to three weeks; it's worth checking in with your child's pediatrician or a mental health professional if the anxiety lasts longer than that, worsens over time, leads your child to refuse school, or begins to interfere with their sleep, friendships, or family life. Some ideas for kids facing more moderate to severe anxiety could be having your child see a therapist where they can discuss their worries and get tools on how to manage it. Effective tools include keeping your child active through moderate exercise, limiting sugar and caffeine (which can contribute to anxiety), and practicing deep breathing. Deep breathing can be a very effective tool to manage symptoms of anxiety. We developed a device called CalmiGo that can assist a child in managing anxiety and panic attacks with deep breathing. The device has a sensor embedded in it that learns the child’s specific breathing patterns so it can guide them to breathe in a way that maximizes the calming effects. In order to calm down, long exhalations are critical because it activates the parasympathetic nervous system. With CalmiGo, children can achieve a sense of calm in under three minutes so that they can continue on with their day. It is also a solution they can take with them to school and use when they need it.
What are some things families can do when kids feel overwhelmed? Understanding why a child is overwhelmed is the first step. Families and parents, in particular, have the role of supporting their child, which may mean being a parent advocate at the school (if there is an issue at school), or it may mean providing the necessary tools for kids to manage that feeling of overwhelm, along with the encouraging support for them to continue using those tools. Laying out a clear plan for the day so a child knows what to expect can be very effective. When kids are anxious, surprises can be very upsetting, so having a clear plan for the day and giving them a warning in advance if there are changes could help prepare them so they have less anxiety if there are schedule changes. If a child is overwhelmed by sensory stimuli in the environment, you may want to provide tools or products that minimize sensory overload.
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