Transition Anxiety Anyone?

 

Hello FPA friends, and happy August! It's back to school season! Let's talk about getting back into the swing of things and how to ease the anxieties that might come with transitional times.

 

If you have small kiddos (like me), or even big kiddos, or work in the education system, you're preparing for a familiar transition in the next couple of weeks. Summer is coming to an end, which for the youngers is a very sad reality and for the parents is probably a reason to celebrate! Structure and routine are so helpful and for all the fun that summer is, structure usually lacks. It can be hard to shift back into a regulated sleep schedule, a routine that might include homework or after school activities, and adjusting to the social and intellectual demands of being a student. Maybe your little is starting kindergarten this year! What a mixed bag of emotions. Maybe your big is returning to college in a few weeks, and you know it'll be strange to have them out of the house for months at a time.

 

Transition anxiety is a phenomenon associated with change. Our bodies and our brains have 'adjustment periods' when our daily routines shift. Our minds are trying to predict what will happen next in order to keep us safe and healthy. Transition times come with unknowns, and unknowns are scary for a lot of us.

 

If you or your little (or your big) is having some anxiety about the upcoming school year, try adopting some of these practices to ease the angst.

 

• Routine and Stability

Keep some elements of your routine stable as you move into a new schedule. Take time to enjoy that morning cup of coffee without a screen or a distraction. Adopt a nighttime ritual of reading a chapter or two with your kids. These practices can provide consistency amidst change, which helps us manage anxiety.

 

• Seek Support

Talk with your friends and family about the changes! Find some mom friends to cry with when you send your baby off to school for the first time. Share with your spouse that you'll miss your college student while they're away. Encourage your kids to talk about how they feel when new things are happening. If the transition is hitting you extra hard, consider talking with a therapist about how it's impacting you. 

 

• Do the Basics

Oftentimes when anxiety increases, basic self-care decreases. Be sure to eat food that fuels your body well, drink enough water, get enough sleep, move your body every day, and engage in the activities that make you happy just because they make you happy. Give your kiddo some quiet time to come down from the day when they arrive home from school. Make sure you put snacks in their backpacks! Being fed, rested, and watered makes dealing with any tough emotion a thousand times easier.

 

I'll be thinking of you as we move into this next season together! Let's take good care of ourselves and each other, especially in the seasons of transition and anxiety. 

Rae Holliday, LMFT