If your household has made it to the 100-day mark of the school year, let’s pause for a moment and celebrate! Way to go, parents—you did it! That’s 100 mornings of backpacks, lunches, routines, emotions, and growth. And with about four months to go, you may be noticing something important: the “new school year energy” has worn off, and challenges like school refusal, anxiety, and emotional meltdowns are starting to show up more frequently.

If that sounds familiar, you are notalone (TRUST ME)!

When School Feels Hard: What Parents Are Seeing

As the school year progresses, many children experience increased difficulty with:

• Refusing to go to school or frequent morning tears
• Complaints of stomachaches or headaches before school
• Big emotional reactions after school
• Increased anxiety around homework, transitions, or social situations
• Meltdowns that feel sudden, intense, or hard to recover from

These behaviors are not signs of laziness, defiance, or “bad behavior.” More often, they are signals that a child’s nervous system is overwhelmed. That is when Occupational Therapy and/or Mental Health Therapy come in handy. Pediatric therapy services are the icing on the cake— a little something extra that makes a big difference.

Understanding Regulation: The Missing Piece

Emotional regulation is a child’s ability to:

• Manage big feelings
• Stay calm enough to learn
• Recover after stress
• Handle transitions and expectations

When a child is dysregulated, their brain is in survival mode, not learning mode. No amount of reminders, consequences, or rewards can override a nervous system that feels unsafe or overloaded.

That’s where occupational therapy and mental health therapy come in.

How Occupational Therapy (OT) Supports Regulation

Occupational therapy focuses on how the body and brain work together. For children struggling with school refusal or meltdowns, OT can help by addressing:

Sensory Processing

• Is your child overwhelmed by noise, crowds, lights, or touch?
• Do they struggle to sit still or feel constantly “on edge”?

OT helps children understand their sensory needs and develop strategies to stay regulated throughout the school day.

Body Awareness & Self-Regulation

• Recognizing early signs of stress
• Learning calming tools before emotions explode
• Building routines that support focus and emotional control

Transitions & School Demands

• Moving between activities
• Coping with unexpected changes
• Managing fatigue as the school year goes on

OT gives kids practical toolsthey can use at school, at home, and everywhere in between. 

How Therapy Supports Anxiety and Emotional Health

Mental health therapy focuses on the emotional and cognitive side of regulation. Therapy can help children:

• Understand and name their feelings
• Learn coping strategies for anxiety and worry
• Build confidence and resilience
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Feel heard and supported in a safe space

For children who refuse school or experience frequent meltdowns, therapy helps uncover the “why” behind the behavior and teaches skills to manage emotions in healthier ways.

Why OT + Therapy Together Is So Powerful

When occupational therapy and mental health therapy work together, children receive whole-child support.

• OT supports the body and nervous system
• Therapy supports the mind and emotions

This combination helps children:
Feel safer in their bodies
Better manage anxiety
Recover more quickly from meltdowns
Build confidence at school
Develop skills that last beyond this school year

You’re Doing Better Than You Think

If you’re reading this and thinking, “We should be further along by now,”take a breath. You’ve already made it 100 days. That matters.

Parenting a child with anxiety or regulation challenges is exhausting—and showing up every day is an achievement worth recognizing.

Support is not a sign of failure. It’s a proactive step toward helping your child feel successful, confident, and regulated at school and at home.

Ready to Support Your Child for the Rest of the School Year?

With just a few months left in the school year, now is a great time to get support in place. Occupational therapy and mental health therapy can help make the rest of the year feel more manageable—for both you and your child.

If school mornings are a struggle, meltdowns feel overwhelming, or anxiety is taking center stage, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Give us a call today to schedule your free screening and learn more about our services (919) 378-1340. Click the button below to get started today!