GRANDVILLE, Michigan (Wood) — Your kids may be looking forward to returning home, but so is the stress that comes with it.

Some students say the concerns started at the beginning of summer vacation.

“I get upset about things that don’t need to, and I get anxious about things. School is exciting, so it’s always on my mind,” said Josie Callendar, a senior at Grandville High School. rice field.

Classmate Aiden Martin said, “For me, college applications started at the beginning of August, so it felt more real to me that my last year of high school was about to begin. I’m just thinking about it, but I’m worried about what will happen after that.”

Twelve-year-old Jaziah Cole is entering seventh grade this year. The straight-A student who is also her student-athlete experienced her own struggles as a middle school student. She has even witnessed other students being bullied.

Going back to school isn’t something she’s looking forward to.

“Some families aren’t as lucky as others, and the kids like to pick it up and lay eggs.” “Sometimes I think about things outside of school at school. When it piles up, I get really confused.

It’s issues like these that students say affect their mood and performance. Cheating is often misunderstood.

“That’s why we’re getting so many suspensions. Because if teachers were more patient and realized that things like this were happening both outside of school and at school, we might be able to do better.” Because I think,” Jazia said.

Grandville High School has a “Be Nice” program through the Western Michigan Mental Health Foundation.

School counselor Liz Koza says it helps to have a program that talks about spiritual healing and teaches students how to cope.

“This is a great way to educate students about what they’re looking for, how to help friends, and how to provide community when they feel certain they’re not alone,” she said. “I think a lot of kids would care more if it wasn’t for that,” Martin added.

The first day of school at GHS is Monday. Half a day for students. The rest of the week will consist of activities to welcome them to campus.

“In my 18 years of education, I have seen the transition from purely academic to something that requires building relationships. “They need to be healthy and ready to learn.Over the last five years, our focus has been on building relationships with our students,” said Koza.

Not all schools have a “Be Nice” program or offer the full range of mental health resources. Koza and other counselors say schools with limited budgets can think small.

“At least schools can educate children,” Koza said. “It would help if the whole school had a few days or a few conscious efforts to let people know that they were providing help,” Martin commented.

Samuel Jones, owner of Wisdom Center Counseling Services, agrees, saying teachers should consider making it part of their lesson plans.

“Work with administrators to say, ‘Hey, can I bring someone over? Bring in a therapist or a school counselor to talk to the kids one day a week or one day a month and We want you to encourage us.

Prioritizing the mental health of children is not just the job of teachers. Children say they play an important role in how their parents see themselves. They suggest that parents and other adult figures try not to burden their children too much.

“A lot of parents are like, ‘I need to have an A.’ I need to be successful in class.” You will feel less of

Jones suggests that parents first check their own mental health, attitudes, and expectations in order to better support their children.

“We as parents need to look at what’s stressing us out, right? Because all these things come into play when we try to have conversations with our children. “You may be looking at things from your own experiential lens, based on what you experienced as a student, or based on your culture, ethnicity, or experience,” he said. Your children are different than you.They are changing.They have different priorities.”

You also have personal responsibility for your child.

“Know that comfort is okay. There is room for growth. And/or some people want to have a conversation with you, whether it’s a therapist like me.” he said.