The return to school can bring excitement, but it can also trigger anxiety for children and teenagers. Discover creative, practical ways to support your child through the transition, and learn how Dramatherapy can help them express and manage difficult emotions.
 The emotional rollercoaster of going back to schoolÂ
The return to school is a major milestone for families everywhere. New uniforms are bought, school bags are packed, and the relaxed rhythm of the school holidays gives way to more structured mornings.
While this transition brings excitement, it can also incite a wave of complex emotions. Children and teenagers often carry unexpressed anxieties about school life, from new teachers to changing friendships.
As a Dramatherapist based in Aberdeen, Susan McQuaker has firsthand experience with how these academic transitions impact young people. When stress or anxiety takes hold, traditional “talking” can sometimes feel too intense or inadequate.
Here is a brief look at what your child might be experiencing this term, how you can support them at home, and how creative therapy can help.
Primary (P1-P7)Â
For primary-aged children, the return to school means navigating issues such as separation anxiety, adapting to stricter routines, and managing the high sensory input of a bustling classroom. You might notice these anxieties surfacing as bedtime stalling, morning stomach aches before the school run, or sudden emotional meltdowns after coming home.
Susan’s top tips for parents at home:
- Create a “luggage” routine: Reduce the morning chaos by packing school bags and laying out clothes the night before. The predictability of routine can create a sense of safety.
- Use soft toy roleplay: If your child is nervous about the school gate goodbye, use their favourite soft toys to act out a confident, loving farewell. Soft toys are known by psychologists as “transitional objects” or “comfort objects” that can be useful for children to externalise complicated feelings and practice coping strategies.
- Make space for after-school rest: Known as “after-school restraint collapse”, children often emotionally crash after exhausting their mental energy trying to follow rules, manage social interactions and sit still all day. Allow your child some quiet downtime and a snack when they get home before asking about their day.
How Dramatherapy helps younger children:
Young children rarely have the emotional vocabulary to say “I am anxious about my new teacher.” Instead, they show it through behaviour.
In Susan’s practice, she uses storytelling, puppetry, and creative play. By projecting their worries onto a character or a puppet, children can safely explore and resolve their fears from a distance. It turns a scary, abstract feeling into something much more manageable – and fun!
Secondary (S1-S6)
The jump to secondary school, or return to intense SQA exam preparation, presents an entirely different set of mental health hurdles. Pre-teens and teens alike are navigating increasing peer-pressure, social media dynamics, body image shifts, and a heavy academic workload. Anxiety in adolescents can mask itself in different ways, from irrability, withdrawal to overall school avoidance
Susan’s top tips for parents at home:
- Utilise low-pressure check-ins: Avoid face-to-face interrogations at the dinner table. Teenagers tend to open up more during passive “side-by-side” activities, like driving in the car, prepping dinner, or going for a walk.
- Validate before fixing: When your child complains about stress, avoid jumping straight into finding a solution. First, reassure them and build rapport by saying something like: “That sounds really overwhelming, it makes sense that you feel stressed.”
- Protect sleep boundaries: Academic and social anxiety alike thrive on poor sleep, try to encourage breaks from technology where phones are left outside the bedroom at night.
How Dramatherapy helps older children:
Young people often resist traditional talking therapy because they fear being judged or put on the spot.
Dramatherapy offers an indirect and empowering alternative. Through mediums such as metaphor, role exploration, and creative arts, teenager can explore their feelings and experiences in a way that feels right for them. They don’t have to make direct eye contact and explain their deepest insecurities; instead, Susan will work creatively with them to process those feelings safely.
Supporting your family
Every young person processes change differently. If your child or teenager is struggling to settle into the school term and is showing signs of school-related distress, you do not have to navigate this alone.
Susan McQuaker’s Aberdeen-based Dramatherapy practice provides a safe, confidential, and deeply creative space tailored to support young people through life’s transitions.
Take the first step towards supporting your child’s emotional wellbeing.
To learn more about Susan’s services or to book an initial consultation, please get in touch today. Work together to make this school year a positive, fulfilling experience for your family.
About the AuthorÂ
This article was written by Phemie, an intern working alongside Susan McQuaker. Phemie is passionate about mental health and supporting young people across Aberdeen as they navigate the unique challenges of growing up today.
