Tennessee Tech Psychology professor Dr. Tony Michael said maintaining an intentional, steady presence at home establishes an essential behavioral model at school.
Michael said back to school can be challenging for students. Michael said a parent’s individual emotional state directly influences a child’s psychological ability to manage unfamiliar school environments and new classroom teachers.
“The truth is kids tend to borrow our nervous system as parents,” Michael said, “So when we stay steady, when we stay grounded and hopeful.”
Michael said children frequently manifest school-related anxiety through physical ailments and disrupted sleep patterns rather than verbalizing their distress directly to family. Michael said recognizing these early physiological indicators allows parents to intervene and offer proactive comfort before behavioral issues escalate.
“Obviously the common signs are when kids are stressed, it could be involved with trouble falling asleep, could be also common signs associated with staying asleep,” Michael said. “A lot of times too, kids, it could be connected with stomach aches or headaches, other things. And those are important to say.”
Michael said effective intervention frequently incorporates structured real-world connection, family engagement, and screen-free routines to ground children amidst developmental transitions. Michael said local community coalitions emphasize simple, actionable steps, such as shared meals, reading together, and outdoor activities, can be powerful behavioral remedies to help counteract modern childhood overwhelm.
“These are powerful antidotes to the digital overwhelm kids face today,” Michael said. “Just ten minutes a day can help form bonds, provide an emotional boost, and increase vocabulary, while providing structure — and why that matters.”
