Back-to-school mental health for Milwaukee kids

Updated: 9:20 AM CDT Aug 10, 2023

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$25 PER STUDENT. SOME STUDENTS IN MILWAUKEE HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL NEXT WEEK IN MENTAL HEALTH IS TOP OF MIND. SHAYLA MORGAN IS A PSYCHOLOGIST WITH UW HEALTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON. WHAT’S THE NUMBER ONE THING WE WANT FAMILIES TO KEEP IN MIND AS STUDENTS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL TO START THIS WEEK ESTABLISHING A CONSISTENT ROUTINE. THINK ABOUT TRANSITIONS TO AN EARLIER BEDTIME AND EARLIER WAKE TIME AND ALSO THINK ABOUT TALKING THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR. ANTICIPATE CERTAIN SCENARIOS THAT CAN COME UP. A LOT OF KIDS AND PARENTS DO AND EVEN TEACHERS HAVE A LOT OF ANXIETY GOING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO NORMALIZE THAT YOU MIGHT GO TO THE VISIT THE SCHOOL, WALK AROUND THE PLAYGROUND OR THE CLASSROOM, OR TAKE A PHOTO OF YOUR TEACHER AND HAVE YOUR CHILD LOOK AT THAT. A LITTLE BIT OF PREPARATION RIGHT NOW WILL REALLY SET YOUR CHILD UP FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. YOU MENTIONED A BEDTIME IN WAKE TIME AND JUST STARTING TO GET INTO THAT ROUTINE. HOW IMPORTANT IS A ROUTINE KIDS REALLY THRIVE ON STRUCTURE AND WARMTH, SO REESTABLISHING THAT ROUTINE, YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT WHEN THE CHILD COMES HOME FROM SCHOOL, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? ARE THEY GOING TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT DO SOME SCHOOLWORK, HAVE A BATH, READ? READING IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS THEY WIND DOWN TOWARDS BEDTIME AND START DOING SOME SIMULATION OF THAT. YOU MIGHT ALSO TEACH YOUR CHILD SOME ANXIETY MANAGEMENT SKILLS THAT THEY HAVE SOME OF THAT FIRST WEEK JITTERS OR SCHOOL JITTERS JUST TEACHING THEM SLOWER AND LOWER BREATHING CAN REALLY BE A LIFELINE FOR KIDS WHEN THEY’RE FEELING A LITTLE BIT UPSET OR STRESSED JUST TO GET BACK INTO THEIR BODY, CALM THEIR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. SO THEY CAN THINK CLEARLY AND FEEL A LITTLE MORE EMOTIONALLY STABLE. NOW SOME FAMILIES LOOK FORWARD TO BACK TO SCHOOL, OTHER FAMILIES DREADED. BUT YOU THINK WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THE START OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR? ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, THAT EXCITEMENT IS CONTAGIOUS FOR KIDS. SO THINK ABOUT MAYBE PLANNING A BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY WHERE YOU CAN CELEBRATE THEIR FIRST DAY. ALSO, CONSIDER TAKING A PRESCHOOL PHOTO THAT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND THEN DO SOMETHING SPECIAL TO REALLY CELEBRATE THE YEAR AND ALSO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING WITH YOUR KIDS OF WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO AND REALLY HIGHLIGHT THAT. MAKE SURE TO CONNECT AT BEDTIME AROUND WHAT THEIR FAVORITE THING IS. MAYBE ONE THING THAT DIDN’T GO SO WELL, ONE QUESTION THEY MIGHT HAVE AND AS WELL AS ONE WAY THEY EXPRESS LOVE AND COMPASSION AND AND KINDNESS IN THEIR DAY. CHECKING IN ABOUT THOSE FOUR THINGS. YOU CAN START NOW AND EVEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR REALLY KEEPS THAT CLOSE CONNECTION WITH YOUR KIDS. AND THEY KNOW THEY CAN TURN TO YOU FOR ANYTHING. GREAT ADVICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BACK TO SCHOOL IS COMING WHETHER OR NOT WE LIKE IT OR NOT. SO WE MAY AS WELL MAKE IT THE EASIEST WE CAN. THAN

Back-to-school mental health for Milwaukee kids

Updated: 9:20 AM CDT Aug 10, 2023

Shilagh Mirgain, a psychologist with UW Health, recommends parents to establish a consistent routine for kids.

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