Birmingham, Ala. (August 10, 2026) — The new school year can be exciting for children: new school supplies, teachers, and subjects to learn. But along with the excitement comes many emotions, and for some, it can be challenging. Cindy Jones, the director of the Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC), Partial Hospitalization Program, and Intensive Outpatient Program at Children’s of Alabama, says many children can feel overwhelmed or anxious around this time of year.
“The best thing that parents can do is try to fix how their children are feeling or even dismiss those feelings,” said Jones.
Jones recommends parents do three things to help their children: 1. Ask them to name what they are feeling and be able to normalize it. An example would be the child telling the parent they are nervous and the parents relating that to when they are nervous. 2. Help their child navigate what they are feeling. Jones advises parents to help their child develop a plan to manage their feelings, such as keeping a journal or drawing a picture of that feeling to refer to. 3. Encourage them to develop some coping techniques, such as deep breathing or thinking about something positive that can distract their mind from the intense feeling that they are dealing with at that moment. Once the intense emotion passes, the parent should check with the child to see if those techniques worked. Jones says that, when it comes to teenagers, parents really want to be more collaborative and supportive.
“They are facing a whole lot of challenges at school, whether it be social factors, academic performance, or maybe just the changing of their sleep biology,” said Jones. “The main thing is to foster some autonomy, give them some ability to come up with ideas on how to address their problems or concerns.”
Jones says although it can be challenging, keeping the lines of communication open is extremely important during this time.
“When you are talking to teenagers, they may feel like they don’t want to talk to you,” said Jones. “But what you can do is a low-pressure conversation, and what that means is basically when you are fixing dinner or picking them up from school or doing activities with them, it is easy for them to communicate because it is more of a side-to-side conversation versus sitting down in front of them. Many times, it’s more in daily activities, touching base with them and asking them how they are doing. This takes a lot of pressure off the child.”
So how do you know when your child is feeling overwhelmed or anxious about the new school year?
“There’s a change in their eating and sleeping habits,” said Jones. “They may express to you a hopelessness about what is going on at school or with friends, so it’s important to look for those signs, and if you see them, that’s when you seek professional help.”
Jones adds that parents will see these signs over a period of time, such as weeks or maybe even months. She says it is also important for parents to reach out to their child’s teacher, school counselor, or social worker. Some schools also have mental health coordinators who are there to help and may be able to give the parents more insight into what is going on at the school. Another resource that’s available for parents is the Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC) at Children’s of Alabama.
“The Psychiatric Intake Response Center allows any adult to call our phone response line, speak to a licensed professional and figure out what a child may need,” said Jones. “In some cases, it may be they need some therapy to talk about what’s happening at school, maybe they need to see a psychiatrist for medication to manage those symptoms, maybe they need both, but our team is able to help navigate that and be able to give you resources in your community that will help you connect to those professionals who can help.”
The number to call the PIRC is 205-638-PIRC (7472). It is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day of the week, all year long. This is a no-cost and confidential service.
To learn more about the PIRC: The Psychiatric Intake Response Center continues to grow after five years | Children's of Alabama
