Parents Talk: Beating Back to School Stress

It's almost back to school time, and it's not just the kids that may have some trouble getting ready for the first day. Kids are busy, not just with school and homework, but also with sports, dance classes, martial arts, volunteer work, projects - you name it, kids are doing it. Back to school can mean back to stress, especially for high school students who may be getting ready to start looking for and applying to colleges and other post-school opportunities. 

For parents, commitments can double with student's needs and their own, as well as the rest of the family's, amping up. Getting kids out the door and off to school in the mornings, helping with homework, balancing work and play, and dealing with grown-up issues can max out the calm control of any parent.

How does your family transition to the return to busy schedules and school year pressures? What ideas or routines work best to keep your family happy and productive? How do you balance the changes that hit when BBQs end and tests begin?

What does your family do to help ease the transition from summer vacation to school year?

Please share your tips and ideas with other parents by submitting a comment below.

Previously, this column has addressed a number of potentially sticky parenting issues such as social media and cell phone use, and we've gotten some great feedback.

Here's a a quick look at some of our past questions:

Do you see cliques starting younger than when you were in school, and if so, how do you help your child navigate those social land mines?

How do you discuss different academic abilities with your kids?

At what age do you allow your children to have a Facebook or My Space page?

So, Moms, when is advanced placement, advancement overload? Are parents (and kids) overbooking kids?

If you missed any of these discussions and would like to read responses or post your own, just click on the links above or in the right-hand sidebar and share your thoughts.

You can also follow this feature  by clicking on the "Yes, Keep Me Posted" button below this article. And if you'd like to pose a question without identifying yourself, email  donna.evans@patch.com.

How can families beat the stress of heading back to school?