Parents and handling the emotions surrounding kids going back to school
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- This is the week when many school districts get back into the routine, and it's also the week when most colleges welcome students to the fall semester.
Whichever you might be involved in, there could be tears -- these emotions are normal, although they can run from sad to thrilled.
Whether it's dropping your youngest off at college or watching them get on a bus for the first time, there's no getting around the emotions of it all.
Dr. Alison Bashe of New Directions Counseling says sadness is expected, but says it can go deeper than that.
She says it can be similar to grief, but also adds that on the other end of the spectrum, some parents feel a sense of relief, that they are getting some time back for themselves.
Dr. Bashe says this relief doesn't make you a bad parent and that a lot of other parents are feeling the same way.
She suggests accepting your feelings, leaning into them a bit, and talking with other caregivers who may be feeling similar to you.
While you probably don't want to show your children that you may be gleeful that they're gone, sharing the sadness can be reassuring to them, especially if they're feeling the same thing.
The idea is to lift each other out of the mood.
When it comes to trying to get over the emotions and fill the day, Dr. Bashe says there's comfort in numbers.
She suggests getting busy -- whether it's getting time to work out, resuming or starting a hobby, starting to cook again, or volunteering, these are all things that can be helpful.
Animal shelters and food banks along with most places that utilize volunteers are very flexible in scheduling hours around school-day schedules.
At the end of the day, when you're asking your child about how their day went, share how you spent your day, too.
If the sadness prevents you from getting up the energy to do something, Dr. Bashe suggests first talking to friends and family, and if that doesn't work, maybe you need to seek out a counselor for some help.
In most cases, this is a passing issue and the more proactive you are, the sooner it passes.