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Experts also suggest transitioning to the school-year sleep schedule a week or two before school starts. If your ������ο��Ƶ has been sleeping in, the transition to waking up before 7 a.m. can be a struggle, so don’t wait until the first day of school to make the shift.

“Kids can feel apprehensive about fitting in with peers, who they will sit with at lunch, finding their locker, or navigating a new school,” says Jessica Holzbauer, a licensed clinical social worker who works with ������ο��Ƶren and adolescents at Huntsman Mental ������ο��Ƶ Institute. “The transition to school, especially for younger students, can cause ������ο��Ƶren to feel nervous. Many will experience a degree of separation anxiety. And for students who experience some form of depression or anxiety, careful planning and coping strategies are especially helpful and can be a safeguard to their mental health,” Holzbauer says.

“At our youth programs, we teach our patients coping strategies to practice before anxious or negative thoughts creep in, and together we create a ‘coping kit’ they can discreetly take with them in a backpack,” says Holzbauer, who manages Teenscope youth day treatment program at Huntsman Mental ������ο��Ƶ Institute. “Knowing they can use the tools we practice in our program gives kids reassurance that they can handle challenging situations. The kit contains items designed to meet important physical needs and emotional health—both equally important.”