As adults, many of us are familiar with the “Sunday Night Scaries,” a popular term for the knot of nerves that settles in as you realize your weekend is ending and you have to go back to work. 

For students who haven’t been in school for the many weeks of summer, back-to-school anxiety can creep up as the first day approaches.

If your child feels unsettled about the year ahead, know that some pre- first-day jitters are common and usually ease within a week or two as new routines take root. In the meantime, here are ten practical ways to help your child move from uncertainty toward confidence.

1. Visit the school beforehand
If your student is in a new district or moved up to a new school, walking the halls, finding the classroom, and locating the bathroom and cafeteria ahead of time can turn the unknown into something familiar. A little exposure goes a long way toward calming nerves.

2. Practice the routine a few days early
Run through the morning sequence before it counts: wake-up time, breakfast, getting dressed, the school trip. When day one doesn’t feel brand new, it feels a lot less overwhelming.

3. Talk through what to expect, not just reassurance
Rather than offering only “it’ll be fine,” talk through the day step by step: drop-off, first activity, lunch, pickup. Specifics settle a worried mind more than general comfort alone.

4. Validate the feeling without amplifying it
A simple “it makes sense to feel nervous about something new” often lands better than dismissing the worry or dwelling on it. Children pick up on how the adults around them are feeling, so a calm, steady tone helps set theirs.

5. Arrange a friend connection
If your child knows someone who will be at school, a familiar face from a past class or the neighborhood, consider setting up a quick reunion beforehand or coordinating to arrive together on the first day.

6. Read books or watch shows about starting school
Age-appropriate stories about first-day nerves can normalize the experience and open the door to conversation your child might not start on their own.

7. Create a goodbye ritual
A short, consistent routine at drop-off, a special handshake or a phrase said every time, offers predictability in what’s often the hardest moment of the day.

8. Build a story
A simple story that walks through a typical school day can help a child anticipate what’s coming and feel more in control.

9. Make space for the positives too
Ask what your child is looking forward to, not only what worries them: new supplies, a favorite subject, recess. Balancing the conversation keeps anxiety from dominating the narrative.

10. Debrief after the first day and the first week
Specific questions like “What was one good thing that happened today?” tend to surface more than a general “How was it?” They help you notice what’s really on your child’s mind and remind your child that things went okay.

Every child settles into a new year at their own pace. With a little preparation and a lot of patience, September back-to-school anxiety can become the confident strides of October.

If you have questions about supporting your child through a transition like this or managing anxiety, our team is always here to talk.