Back to School Blues

Now that school has started, or is about to resume, I have heard a lot of parents (particularly moms) reveal feeling sad. This is the "back to school blues." However, each parent feels the blues for different reasons. For some, the sadness stems from missing their kids during the day after having only a brief amount of time with them due to summer camp. Others feel this way at the realization that time is flying by too fast and their "babies" are growing up. The latter often occurs with major school transitions, whether it be kindergarten or college, transitions can be as difficult for parents as they are for children. The "blues" are often enhanced when the parent identifies themselves through their role as a mom (or dad), feeling lost and empty as their role lessens and/or they do not feel needed.

Then there are parents that agonize over having to go back to work after a long relaxing summer vacation. Finally, school means making lunches, fighting over homework, waking up early, and juggling everyday life with our children's often over-scheduled days.

If you are "blue" for any of these reasons, you're not alone. In fact, the American Psychological Association has plenty to say on the topic. One of my best tips on how to handle this time is beautifully simple... just take a moment to BREATHE!!! Close your eyes and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. AHHHH, feeling better? Maybe not yet, but you will. Practicing some form of meditation everyday will help you to feel more in control and respond to stressful situations better. It also forces you to take time for yourself. Often, the mayhem of school and our children's lives overshadows how and when we take care of ourselves. We were not born moms or dads. We were born as individuals and it is just as important to foster that in ourselves as it is in our children. What's your go-to way of managing the sadness and stress that comes with the kids going back to school?