The back-to-school transition often brings uncertainty, which can heighten anxiety and intensify that familiar feeling of 'Sunday Scaries' to an even greater level.

Many factors can influence a child's anxiety. Is it a new school year or an entirely new school? Their social well-being and sense of security with peers are crucial. Perhaps they've experienced a significant change or even a trauma over the summer that's now weighing on them?

But let’s not forget the parents in all this! Not only do they often feel their child’s anxieties intensely, but they’re also usually the first line of support…unless they’re shut out by a withdrawn teenager…which presents its own problems. On top of that, parents have their own ‘back to work’ stresses that add to the anxiety. While many may appreciate the return of a school routine that makes work life easier, adjustments to childcare and household arrangements can also trigger additional concerns.

ADVICE FOR PARENTS

The good news? Meeno is here to help you navigate these family relationship challenges as you transition back this fall. 10% of conversations on Meeno involve users dealing with issues related to a child or co-parent. Meeno works to support these parents by offering advice on how to help kids through tough times, set boundaries, create meaningful moments together and much more!

Omar van Ommeren, psychotherapist and Meeno relationship expert, suggests the following tips for supporting your child as they go back to school.

1. Create a safe and non-judgmental space for your child to express their feelings: Encourage them to talk by asking open-ended questions like, 'How are you feeling about school?' or 'What’s been on your mind lately?' Focus on listening without offering fixes or immediate solutions. Feeling heard and understood helps them process emotions more effectively. 

2. Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries: Set clear, consistent boundaries together with your child. Involve them in the process by discussing rules like curfew times or screen limits, which helps them feel more responsible and invested in following them. Make sure to consistently enforce these rules and follow through with consequences when necessary

3. Put Down your Own Phone: No matter if it’s 10 minutes or 10 hours of quality time with your child, make sure you’re completely present, engaged and fully focused on them. Engage in activities they enjoy and show genuine interest in their thoughts and feelings.

4. Focus on Shared Goals with Your Partner: Shift the conversation from differences to commonalities. If you identify and prioritize shared goals for your children, it will help you maintain a united front - crucial for the child’s sense of security and consistency.
   
   

ADVICE FOR STUDENTS

‘Friends’ accounts for 10% of overall conversations on Meeno, with the second most asked question on Meeno being - I feel like the only one putting in effort to this friendship, what do I do?

Nearly three in 10 secondary students are avoiding school because it makes them anxious, according to a 2024 survey by children's charity, Stem4. In a post-COVID world, teen mental health and school absenteeism are worsening globally, with the main concerns being academic performance, friendship struggles, and future job prospects.

The message to students from Omar van Ommeren, psychotherapist and Meeno relationship expert, is to make Meeno an essential part of the school toolkit this fall as tough schoolwork, making and maintaining friendships, as well as the demands of meeting new people pile up.

Here are five apps, including Meeno, to support students as they return to school.

1. Meeno: Meeno provides personalized advice for your back to school relationships, helping you manage anxiety or navigate friendships following the summer break. Users are also leveraging Meeno to practice tough conversations in order to be  fully prepared for the transition back to school. 

2. Calm: The new routines and busy workload of a new school year can increase stress. Calm offers guided meditations, breathing exercises, and sleep aids that can help improve concentration, and ensure you get quality rest. 

3. Quizlet: Quizlet is an engaging study tool that incorporates customized flashcards, quizzes, interactive games and practice tests tailored to specific subjects and topics that help students learn and review material in a fully flexible way.  

4. Google Calendar: Keeping on track of assignments, deadlines, class schedules can all be done easily and in one place with google calendar.  Sharing calendars with classmates or family members can help students stay on top of commitments, plan study time effectively, and avoid last-minute cramming. 

5. Notability: Whether it’s taking detailed handwritten notes during lectures, annotating PDFs, or recording audio of important discussions, Notability helps keep your notes neatly arranged and organized. Streamlining the capturing and organizing of content can be especially useful as you adjust to a new school year.