Back-To-School Tips: How Parents Can Help Kids Manage Emotions

With Oklahoma City Public Schools starting back in just two weeks, many families are preparing for the transition out of summer routines. For children, especially those in foster care or facing new environments, the return to school can bring out strong emotions. 

Carrie Neff, clinical director at Anna’s House Foundation, spoke with News 9 about how parents and caregivers can help children navigate this time with practical tools, emotional support, and early preparation.

What is Anna’s House Foundation?

Neff: “Anna’s Health Foundation is a non-profit, faith-based organization that supports foster families. We also have mental health services, and I am the clinical director, so we provide those services to our foster kids, but we’ve actually reached out to the community and can help anyone.”

Why is it important to provide these services?

Neff: “New school year, new feelings, new settings. It’s really important for us to be really mindful that this is something that we need to think proactively about and get our kids ready for school.”

What are some things parents and caregivers can do to help navigate these emotions?

Neff: “Yes, so essentially what is really good is routine for kids. We all need a routine. So attending things like back-to-school night, meet your teacher, can really help kids have a sense of what to expect. Also, for kiddos starting daycare, separation anxiety might be something big for them. And so being able to do something like a goodbye ritual, so kids know, like, ‘oh, mom’s not here, but they’re coming back.'”

“They can do some things like practice before school starts, talk to their kiddos about what that routine is going to look like, maybe walk to their bus stop if they’re taking the bus, drive around to get their kids used to what that process is going to be like again.”

Do you have any tips for parents?

Neff: “I think the biggest tip for parents is when it comes to big emotions is being calm yourself. It’s very hard. But when we ourselves are calm, we can model that for our kids. And so that way, they can also be calm. So in those big emotions, in those big anxieties, validate their feelings and be calm in that as well.”

As seen on News 9 & News 6