The back-to-school season is synonymous with the return of the Girls on the Run afterschool program for countless girls throughout North America. Summer camps have wrapped up, and new volunteer coaching opportunities for kids are now open. Embrace the final moments of summer, and prepare your girl for an incredible school year and Girls on the Run season with these confidence-boosting tips.
The signs are all around: school supply aisles are buzzing, your inbox is filling up with classroom updates, and the family calendar is quickly reclaiming its grip on your schedule. There’s no denying that back-to-school season is here. The countdown to the first day has started, and it’s the perfect time to check in with your girl and see how she’s feeling about the return. Is she excited to dive back into the rhythm of the routine and reconnect with friends? Or maybe she’s hesitant, wishing summer could stretch just a bit longer. For many kids, it’s a mix of both. No matter how your girl approaches the transition, setting aside time to build her self-assurance and foster a positive mindset can make all the difference in starting the year strong.
Check out these seven tips for elevating your girls’ confidence this back-to-school season!
Introduce Intentional Routines Sooner Rather Than Later
Establishing structured routines (especially around sleep, meals, afterschool programs, and play time) helps children feel grounded, emotionally regulated, and equipped to manage transitions like returning to school. Instead of hard-launching a new schedule on the first day, consider adjusting your girl’s routine at least one to two weeks before school starts. Research shows that consistent routines correlate with fewer behavioral and emotional difficulties in kids and can reduce parental anxiety. A little predictability goes a long way and can have long-term benefits. Consistently sticking with a routine helps kids feel a sense of accomplishment and shows them that they can follow through on other goals, schedules, or projects. They might think, “If I can excel at this routine, what else can I achieve?”
Work together on planning the routine and agree on a sustainable structure. Be sure to incorporate mini mood-boosting activities, such as jotting down gratitude, speaking positive self-talk, or doing mindful breathing exercises. Make it fun with a visual calendar or checklist that they can enjoy updating. Whatever the routine looks like, introducing one before school starts can smooth the transition, alleviate first-day stress, and even lay the groundwork for future goals!
Highlight Her Strengths Any Chance You Get
Before your girl heads out the door and hops on the bus, fill her emotional backpack with confidence and empowerment! Every child brings something unique into their classroom, so it’s important to celebrate your girl’s one-of-a-kind spark and how it will light up her school or team in the Girls on the Run afterschool program. Use your words intentionally and highlight her special strengths during car rides, dinner table discussions, or in spur-of-the-moment instances. Reminding children of their positive traits and past successes supports a positive self-image, which links to improved resilience, motivation, and emotional well-being. Affirmations for kids also reinforce their strengths, increase self-esteem, and help them internalize empowering beliefs. Sharing positive affirmations and kind, encouraging words from the heart can help instill a greater sense of self-love that your girl will be proud to embrace this year.
Chat Openly About Expectations
As the back-to-school season clock ticks away, a great way to ease jitters is to create an open dialogue about what your girl can expect in the new school year. Discuss the school day, who they’ll meet, and how they can handle new situations. Normalize any nerves and share any personal experiences that may offer perspective. Open communication with your girl about the upcoming days (including possible challenges) creates informational predictability that lowers anxiety. Longitudinal research demonstrates that strong parent–child communication around educational transitions is linked to less academic anxiety and better coping. Additionally, supportive parental responses (including validating worries and providing reassurance) reduce children’s anxiety and offer greater peace of mind.
Set Simple, Positive Goals Together
Team up with your girl to create bite-sized, bold, and doable goals. Emphasize that these are more about progress and less about perfection. Setting goals with your girl doesn’t have to be a serious sit-down, either. It can be a fun, collaborative self-esteem-building activity that fuels her self-belief. So, grab a snack, sit down together, and map out a few wins worth celebrating. Helping your girl plan and set achievable short-term goals can foster a growth mindset that lasts. Assure her the goals don’t have to be intimidating or complicated — think small but important moments like saying “hi” to someone new, raising her hand once a day, or packing her backpack in the morning. When girls set goals that feel attainable and meaningful, they build confidence, independence, and a sense of accomplishment. Plus, setting them together lets her know you’re in her corner, cheering her on every step of the way.
Model Confidence and Calmness
If you are looking to help your child step into the school year feeling steady and self-assured, start by modeling that same energy at home. Witnessing a consistently kind and cool-headed composure speaks louder than pep talks for many young people. During these formative years, children readily pick up on (and mirror) the emotional tone of those in their household, especially their caregivers. This study showed that children were less likely to react anxiously to stressful situations when their parents remained calm, confident, and emotionally regulated. Make it a point to nurture your mental health, stay active, and breathe when big feelings arise. You deserve the soul-soothing benefits of such self-care, too! Lead with positivity and composure as you talk about the new year. Let your girl know you believe in her ability to handle it like a pro!
Practice and Discuss Social Situations
Navigating lunch tables, locker chats, and classroom etiquette can feel like a confusing puzzle for some kids. Role-playing with your girl before the school year gives her the corner pieces and a solid starting point. From there, she can fit things together independently and move on to the next steps with pride. This time-tested learning practice allows children to ask questions in a low-stakes environment where they feel comfortable and willing to make mistakes. Carving out intentional time for structured role-play can enhance your girl’s social skills, empathy, communication, and confidence in real-world settings. These micro rehearsal moments can help turn anxiety into assurance and hesitation into “Hellos.”
Are you interested in signing your girl up for a program that helps her activate her limitless potential? Find a team near you and watch her confidence skyrocket! Or, become a role model for girls this fall season as a coach!
