Back to school? Already? Whether you are the parent of a school-aged child or helping your young adult child move into a dorm or first apartment, transitioning from the carefree, schedule-free days of summer to managing new school and extracurricular schedules, social calendars, and homesickness can make for a bumpy transition. As summer winds down and new schedules begin, this time of year can feel exciting and filled with anticipation, while also feeling frenetic and overwhelming. The logistical changes that come with a new school year are also often accompanied with an avalanche of emotions. Regardless of which stage of life and development your child(ren) is in, rest assured that every person in the family is going to experience the changes in different ways. Parents included.
I am writing this blog from the perspective of a clinical mental health therapist, as well as from the perspective of a parent of two teenagers. In my clinical practice, I work with children, adolescents, and young adults. I often offer support to my young clients as they experience the anxiety and stress that can come with managing a new school year, friendships, and academic demands. I also support parents who are fielding their own anxiety and stress this time of year. Many parents that I have spoken with often feel pressure to present themselves to the world, and especially to their kids, as super humans who seemingly navigate life’s transitions and challenges. This is a tall order. The reality is that parents are just as susceptible to anxiety, worry, and self-doubt this time of year too. To the outside world, a parent may look like the duck that appears to be gliding effortlessly across the water, when the reality is they are actually paddling like mad underneath the surface, trying to keep up.
It is an understatement to say parenting is hard. It just is. There is no manual, no two child’s personalities or needs are alike, and as wonderful as it would be to know, we cannot predict what the future will bring and whether the choices and decisions we will make for our family will be the “right” ones. 
So, how do we come to terms with the certain uncertainties that so often come with parenting and how do we keep our heads above water in the process? I am glad you asked! In recent years, I have come to find the practice of self-compassion to be an invaluable parenting tool for my clients and quite honestly, for myself as well. The act of practicing self-compassion is a way of putting the
proverbial oxygen mask on first. Self-compassion allows you to support others by taking the critical step of taking care of yourself.