The first-week jitters are long gone. Lockers are assigned, routines are set, and yet — a few weeks or months in — the stomachaches, the meltdowns over homework, the “I don’t want to go” mornings show up anyway.
That’s not a sign that something went wrong at the start of the year. It’s a sign that school stress isn’t a one-time hurdle; it builds and shifts as workloads increase, friendships get complicated, and the school year settles into its real rhythm.
This is a widespread issue, not an isolated one. The American Institute of Stress, citing American Psychological Association research, reports that roughly 75% of high school students and half of middle schoolers say they consistently feel stressed by schoolwork — a number that tends to climb as the year progresses and workloads pile up.
A 2025 Vanderbilt Child Health Poll found that 35% of Tennessee parents named teen mental health as one of their top three concerns, and roughly a third said their child has been diagnosed with a mental or behavioral health condition. The Tennessee Department of Education’s Framework for Student Supports reports that more than half of high school girls and nearly a third of boys in the state say they’ve felt persistently sad or hopeless, and the Sycamore Institute has tracked anxiety and depression among Tennessee youth rising from about 10% to 16% in the years following the pandemic. Nationally, the CDC’s most recent data show 11% of children ages 3–17 have a current, diagnosed anxiety condition.
What ongoing stress looks like
Once the newness of school wears off, stress tends to show up differently than first-day anxiety. Watch for a drop in grades that isn’t explained by the material, a sudden loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy, sleep trouble, frequent headaches or stomachaches, or a shift in friend groups paired with more time alone. A little stress around a big test or a tryout is normal and even useful. What deserves attention is stress that’s constant, that doesn’t ease up after the triggering event passes, or that starts interfering with daily life.
Some practical tips
- At the beginning of the school year, give everyone extra space and time. Brittany Wood, PMHNP-BC shares some strategies for helping ease stress:
- Arrive a little early when dropping kids off at school. Having extra time to get settled each day can help children feel more comfortable and less rushed.
- Pack a comfort item or note a few days a week. A small encouraging note in their lunchbox or backpack can provide reassurance throughout the day and remind them they’re supported. If your child is older, you might send supportive texts to them.
- Focus on one positive thing each day. Before school, encourage them to think about one thing they’re looking forward to, such as seeing friends, meeting their teacher, or learning something new. Shifting attention toward the positive can help reduce nervous feelings.
- When kids take medication, make sure they have enough prescription to continue taking medication without interruption.
- Be consistent with routines, and adjust as needed. Brittany says that, “At the beginning of the school year, you can prioritize establishing school-year routines, such as consistent bedtimes and morning schedules. Talk with your child about what the routines are, and answer their questions. Encouraging open communication and focusing on the exciting aspects of the new school year can help ease worries and build a positive outlook.” Routines also may need to be adjusted. Perhaps what worked in August needs adjusting by October or January as homework load, practice schedules, or bedtimes naturally drift. Sit down every few months and ask what’s not working — a later bedtime creeping in, a chaotic homework spot — and fix it before it becomes the norm.
- Break workload down instead of letting it build. Kids under stress often see one enormous, undifferentiated pile of “school.” Help them break assignments into smaller steps with their own deadlines, using a planner or shared calendar. Feeling in control of a task lowers stress more reliably than reassurance alone.
- Make check-ins a habit, not an event. A five-minute conversation during the car ride home or a short evening walk works better than one big “how is school going” talk. Ask specifically what went well and what didn’t that day, and validate what they share instead of jumping straight to fixing it — that builds the kind of trust that surfaces bigger problems before they grow.
- Loop in the school early, not as a last resort. Teachers and counselors see patterns you don’t get to see at home. If stress is showing up consistently, a short conversation with a teacher or school counselor can catch a problem with the workload, a social conflict, or a learning gap long before it becomes a crisis. For Tennessee families specifically: know what your school already offers. Tennessee law requires schools to provide mental health screening and counseling access, and many districts have behavioral health liaisons embedded in schools through community mental health partnerships. This resource is often available and simply unused because families don’t know to ask.
Stress as information
Ongoing stress that shows up once the school year has started isn’t a setback — it’s information. It tells you where a routine needs adjusting, where your child needs help with their workload, or where a conversation is needed. Kids who learn, with steady support, that school stress can be named and managed are building a skill that will serve them well beyond this school year. The goal isn’t a stress-free year. It’s a family that notices, responds, and knows when it’s time to bring in extra help.
We’re here to help
If any of the above resonated with you or someone you love, reach out to Athena Care so we can help. You can contact us by filling out this short form or call/text us at +1 877-641-1155 or email [email protected].
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Brittany Wood, PMHNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Brittany’s approach to psychiatric care is holistic and patient-centered, focusing on understanding each patient’s unique circumstances and developing personalized treatment plans that promote their overall well-being. She is skilled in diagnosing and treating a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
Meg Stein, CFP
Editor
Meg is a certified mindfulness instructor and works at Alive and Aware Practice in Durham, NC. She has over ten years of experience as a content creator and marketing consultant, working in mental healthcare and social justice.
Sources:
American Institute of Stress. (2026, August). School is back; here’s how to help kids manage stress and anxiety. https://www.stress.org/news/school-is-back-heres-how-to-help-kids-manage-stress-and-anxiety/
American Psychological Association. (2024, August 19). Back-to-school can be a stressful time: How to help your kids transition. https://www.apa.org/topics/children/school-anxiety
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Data and statistics on children’s mental health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/data-research/index.html
Sycamore Institute. (2023, September 8). Child and adolescent mental health in Tennessee. https://sycamoretn.org/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-in-tennessee/
Tennessee Department of Education. (2025). Tennessee Framework for Student Supports: Comprehensive school mental health implementation guide. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/safety/Comp_School_Mental_Health_Guide.pdf
Vanderbilt University Medical Center. (2026, March 11). Poll: Tennessee parents are worried about the future for their kids; 1 in 3 say their child has been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Vanderbilt Health News. https://news.vumc.org/2026/03/11/poll-tennessee-parents-are-worried-about-the-future-for-their-kids-1-in-3-say-their-child-has-been-diagnosed-with-a-mental-health-condition/