Many California students will return to full in-person schooling this fall, for the first time in over a year. For some, a little extra help might be needed as they transition back.
Heather Bernstein, Clinical Psychologist with the Child Mind Institute's Mood Disorders Center, told KCBS Radio on Monday that families will need to help children on the path to "normalcy."
"We want there to be channels and opportunities for kids to talk about what they are really experiencing and what they are feeling, so that they can acknowledge it and ultimately cope with it," she said.
Bernstein said it is human nature to think everything is going to be OK, but it's nonetheless vital for kids to have a safe, secure place to talk about how they feel.
How can adults get children to open up? Simply ask them how they’re doing, or seek their opinion on certain topics in order to start a conversation.
Bernstein said the main goal is to make sure there’s at least some communication with kids during this transition.
"So being able to say, 'I feel a kind of worried about going back to work and this is the way I’m dealing with it,' can be very healthy modeling," Bernstein said. "But certainly, for parents and other adults to get outside support so that you are able to do that is also really valuable so that your kids aren't just absorbing all the other anxiety. But (instead) they get to see and talk about it in a way that feels normative, and comfortable and supportive."
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