New Year, New Mindset: Navigating Back-to-School Anxiety
A Season of Opportunity and Uncertainty
It’s that time of year again—no matter your age, there’s a certain buzz in the air as the back-to-school season approaches. This time of transition brings with it exciting opportunities for growth and learning, but it also comes with its fair share of uncertainty, stress, and challenges. As anxiety levels among Canadian youth continue to rise—particularly among marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+ and Indigenous youth—this season becomes an important opportunity to prioritize mental health and well-being.
For many students, worries about who will be in their classes, how difficult the material will be, what their teachers will be like, or even what to wear on the first day can quickly spiral into overwhelming stress and anxiety.
While many of these stressors are out of our control, parents and educators can play a meaningful role in making the back-to-school transition more manageable—and even enjoyable—for the young people in their lives.
Understanding a Growth Mindset
One of the most common sources of anxiety for students is the belief that they are “not smart enough” to meet the academic challenges of a new grade level. A powerful, research-backed way to address this type of anxiety is by fostering a growth mindset—the belief that intelligence and ability are not fixed traits, but qualities that can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence.
This stands in contrast to a fixed mindset, which is often reinforced from a young age—the idea that you're either smart or you're not, and there's little you can do to change that. (Think of how often we hear or say things like, “I’m just not good at math.”) Research consistently shows that encouraging a growth mindset in students leads to improved academic performance and better mental health outcomes, particularly in the face of setbacks or failure.
How to Support a Growth Mindset
Parents and educators can help students adopt a growth mindset in simple but powerful ways:
Embrace Challenges: Reframe difficult tasks as opportunities for growth, rather than obstacles to avoid. For example, instead of saying, “This math unit looks tough,” try, “Learning division this year will be a great opportunity to challenge yourself and grow!”
Celebrate Effort, Not Just Success: When a child accomplishes something, the instinct might be to say, “You’re so smart” or “You’re great at math.” While well-intentioned, these statements suggest that success is based on innate ability. Instead, try: “You worked so hard on that!” or “It must feel great to see your effort reflected in your grades.” This reinforces the idea that effort leads to improvement and success.
Cultivate Curiosity: Encourage kids to ask questions and explore topics they’re passionate about. Help them see that learning is a lifelong journey, not a destination. When students believe there's no end point to being “smart,” they feel less pressure and more freedom to explore and grow.
Prioritize Learning Over Approval: After school, instead of asking “What did you achieve today?” try “What did you learn today?” This shift emphasizes the value of learning and promotes active recall — one of the most effective ways to reinforce memory and understanding.
A growth mindset is something we can nurture every day, often through the words we choose and the way we frame challenges. A simple shift in language can have a lasting impact.
Managing Back-to-School Anxiety at Summit
Whether you're a parent, educator, student, or even a recent graduate, the new school year can stir up anxiety and uncertainty. But by fostering a growth mindset, encouraging open communication, and preparing thoughtfully, we can help make this season one of excitement, resilience, and personal growth.
If your child is experiencing a particularly difficult transition back to school, working with a mental health professional can help them develop the tools they need to navigate this period with confidence. You can book an appointment with one of our experienced child psychologists using the link below.
Whether it’s your child’s very first day or their twelfth, we’re wishing them a school year full of learning, growth, and meaningful challenges!
References:
A Generation at Risk: The State of Youth Mental Health in Canada. (n.d.). [PDF document]. Retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f31a311d93d0f2e28aaf04a/t/67926a4d06ab3a3b91ec6090/1737648721860/A+Generation+at+Risk+The+State+of+Youth+Mental+Health+in+Canada+%281%29.pdf
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). School anxiety in children. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/children/school-anxiety
Morley, E. (n.d.). Make back‑to‑school transitions less traumatic for the entire family. Strong Minds Strong Kids. Retrieved from https://strongmindsstrongkids.org/en/article-back-to-school/
Harvard Business School Online. (n.d.). Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset. Retrieved from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset