Back to school 2024: How to prepare students [Video]

Though many kids and teens want the carefree days of summer to last longer, they will soon have to prepare for something they may dread: returning to school.

Without adequate preparation, the back-to-school ritual can become a major source of stress for everyone, says Alyson Schafer, a family counsellor and parenting expert in Kingston, Ont.

“That drives everybody insane because we want to hold on to the last lingering days of the summer before we think about the responsibilities that come in the fall and we end up compounding our stress,” Schafer said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Monday.

Back-to-school anxiety can strike as September inches closer. To help students and parents get the school year off to a good start, Schafer and another parenting expert shared their top advice with CTVNews.ca.

Start preparing in August

Kids can still have their fun during the waning days of summer, but planning and preparation …