Surviving the End-of-School Stress

By Donna Stark

I don’t know what it’s like at your house, but the end of the school year for mine is filled with concerts, state academic testing, class projects, school dances, academic and sports award dinners, study sessions, finals, and college-age kids moving back home. Tempers are short and there are never enough hours in the day. Everyone seems to be a little more stressed during this time of year. The pressure is on, our calendars are full, and all we really want to do is to head to our summer vacation site.

Reducing the End-of-Year Stress

Surviving these last few weeks of school without any major breakdowns can be difficult, but not impossible to accomplish, especially if you have some stress-reducing tricks up your sleeve.

• Practice self-care - This may be hard to do, but taking care of yourself and teaching your child to do the same should be a priority! You will be more relaxed, your child will be able to focus more, and you both will feel better about tackling the daily stressors that come your way. In addition to that, your child will also learn to establish a healthy, lifelong habit. So sit down with your family and make a list of the favorite ways each person likes to take care of themselves and then try to do one each day. Need some ideas? Read a book, take a walk, get a massage, draw or color, watch a favorite television program, or listen to music … you get the idea.
• Head outdoors - When the stress of studying becomes too much for your child and infiltrates the overall mood of the home, grab them by the hand and head outdoors. Take a walk, sit on the porch to study, or hop in the car and go for a quick drive to get a coffee. Anything really, you just want to be able to give their mind a break and remind them that there is life before, during, and after a test.
• Cut back on activities - Your calendar is packed from here until infinity, so is it really necessary to schedule that appointment now? Does grocery shopping suck up enough hours every time you go that it would make a huge difference in getting something else achieved if you didn’t have to do it? Reschedule appointments and order your groceries online until things quiet down. The point is to cut out any extra, unnecessary activities until the time comes when you will have more time to spare on your calendar.

Keeping the stress level to a minimum is crucial to surviving the end of school. And let’s be honest, the only meltdown worth having during this time of year is the kind that’s made out of chocolate cake.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Eagan, Minn.