With schools opening their doors again on Monday, both parents and their children could be experiencing a mixture of emotions, including anxiety. Usually during the summer holidays, bedtime routines go out the window, diets may change and day-to-day activities are usually packed with plenty of fun activities. So trying to recalibrate and get back to regular programming isn’t always straight forward, after six weeks away. Here’s how parents and children can beat back-to-school anxiety… What is anxiety? According to the NHS website, anxiety is a feeling of stress, panic or fear that can affect your everyday life physically and psychologically. Why do parents and children battle with back-to-school anxiety? Jade McLellan, deputy head of pastoral at St Dunstan’s College believes anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear, that for most people, can be momentary, mild or manageable. But for others, it can be constant, overwhelming or debilitating.“Whether there have been holidays in the UK or abroad, or complicated childcare arrangements to navigate while parents continue working, the chances are that your child has had to adapt to a different regime over the holidays and the thought of early starts and late finishes at school can seem daunting. “Schools can be overwhelming environments: noisy, bright, busy and exhausting. If your child has spent the summer in a small family unit, returning to be one of 500 or 1,500 children comes as a shock to the system,” McLellan said.“For some children, particularly neurodiverse children, any form of change can induce anxiety, so the transition into the summer holidays and the transition back to school can both cause anxiety. “On the parent-side, the intense organisation required to manage the school routine, with fitting in pick-up and drop-off around work, remembering letters, trips, non-uniform days and navigating tired children with homework deadlines can all cause parents to feel anxious.”What signs should parents look out for when it comes to anxiety? There are a wide number of signs of anxiety. “Signs of anxiety can be demonstrated in a number of ways, such as complaining of a bad tummy or an illness that isn’t really there, behavioural changes or tantrums, saying no to everything, loss of appetite and lots of tears for no reason,” said parenting expert Amanda Jenner. McLellan adds: “Some are obvious, such as biting nails, becoming quiet, or struggling to sleep or eat. However, anxious children can also lash out and become angry, withdraw socially, suffer from unexplained stomach aches or headaches, or even experience panic attacks.”How can parents battle back-to-school anxiety? Ryan Lockett, a former secondary school head of year and now director of studies at TLC LIVE, a tutoring company for schools, believes it all starts with practising good organisational skills. “Walk to the school. It can ease anxiety if they remind themselves of the surroundings. Less traffic and fewer people will help them feel calmer about the journey,” he said. “Start talking about school, in a positive way. Encouragement and positivity will help a child to feel a sense of excitement and look forward to returning. “Discuss any fears or worries they have and try to address them before the return. It may well be as simple as needing a new pencil case because they’re worried about an equipment check on the first day back; it’s an easy one to solve,” he adds. “Make sure any homework or summer tasks have been completed ahead of time. Don’t let this wait until the week before returning. Get it done in good time; it will help reduce anxiety related to incomplete work.” How can children battle back-to-school anxiety? Life coach, educator and therapist Danielle Baron thinks it’s essential for children to equip themselves with the right tools to tackle back-to-school anxiety. “Expressing yourself creatively can be a therapeutic way to cope with anxiety,” Baron said. “Whether it’s journaling, painting, playing a musical instrument, or writing poetry, find an artistic outlet that helps you channel your emotions and thoughts in a positive way.”She adds: “It’s okay to ask for help when you’re feeling anxious. Talk to your parents, teachers, a trusted person or school counsellor about your worries. They can offer guidance, support and resources to help you manage anxiety effectively. “Remember that everyone goes through changes, and it’s okay to feel a mix of emotions; it’s only human. But it is our ability to bounce back quickly that counts.” Are there any resources parents and children can use?There are different online resources children and parents can use, if they need extra support. SilverCloud offer a range of digital CBT programmes for anxious teens. These NICE-approved programmes are free and accessible. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Can you grow a lemon tree from a pip? The beginner gardening questions we all want to ask Fraser Franks undergoing heart surgery – four years after ‘hidden’ condition cut short football career 4 viral TikTok make-up trends you’ll actually want to try

TL;DR: The Apple Watch Series 8 is on sale for £379 this Prime Day. This

McDonald’s Corp. quietly removed the term “ESG” from some parts of its website at a time when environmental,

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed Lewis Hamilton’s reaction to his joint-best performance of the season after finishing second at the Mexican Grand Prix. It’s been a long grind of a season for Mercedes, who have struggled to consistently get the desired results from their W14 car, prompting plenty of frustration from Hamilton and teammate George Russell amid Red Bull’s domination. But there were signs of life in Mexico over the weekend as Russell finished sixth but Hamilton crossed the line in second place for just the third time this season following the Spanish GP in June and the Australian GP back in April. The 38-year-old couldn’t catch the unstoppable Max Verstappen cruising to another race victory but team boss Wolff joked that the veteran British driver was finally happy with the W14. “Today I think it was a first where he said ‘the car is actually good!’,” smiled Wolff. “But it was a brilliant, brilliant drive and we have these oscillations in performance. We don’t really know, sometimes the tyres stick, sometimes not. “The smiles on our faces because the car was strong. I think once Lewis was in free air, we had so much margin on the medium, fastest lap at the end. It was good.” Mercedes are hardly alone in struggling this campaign, with Red Bull having won all but one of the 19 races so far, with Verstappen claiming victory in 16 of those – already breaking his own record from last year of most wins in a single season. Not since Russell crossed the line first at Interlagos in 2022 have the German manufacturer finished top of the podium but Wolff is pleased with the progress shown, although he refused to commit to an exact timescale on when that elusive win might come. “Not sure,” Wolff said. “It’s been a few weekends now that we’ve been saying ‘we could have’ but we didn’t. “I think we need to qualify better and then probably in straight-line speed, it wouldn’t have been so competitive against Max but who knows? The pace is there.” Read More F1 2023 season race schedule: When is the Brazilian Grand Prix? Max Verstappen gives blunt verdict on Sergio Perez’s Mexican Grand Prix crash Sergio Perez lasts just 14 seconds in home race as Max Verstappen wins in Mexico

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The way users charge their Apple devices in the future is getting a huge shakeup. In Tuesday's (12 September) Apple event, the technology company announced that the lightning cable is being replaced by USB-C with the introduction of the new iPhone 15 and 15 Pro. It marks a huge change, as the lighting cable has been used to charge Apple devices for the last decade. The USB-C cable can be used to power other Apple products such as the Mac and iPad.

Music fans, it is time to bid adieu to the sunny, slow summer months

Giorgio Armani closed Milan Fashion Week with good vibes and a front row that included Cate Blanchett, Juliette Binoche and Lily Allen. Australian actor Blanchett – a global ambassador for Armani Beauty – championed sustainable fashion by wearing an embellished black jumpsuit with a plunging neckline. The outfit comes from Armani Prive’s autumn/winter 2009 couture collection, and Blanchett is obviously a fan – she previously wore it to the Palm Springs Film Festival in January. Blanchett sat next to Chocolat actor Binoche, who kept things simple in a black leather jacket and black wide-legged trousers. Singer Lily Allen was also on the front row, sporting a sleek blunt cut bob and a pink and black ensemble. Armani’s spring-summer 2024 collection mirrored a sky’s shifting colours and light at dusk – an idea conveyed with changing colours on the back wall of the showroom in his historic, central Milan headquarters. The 89-year-old designer employed translucent, diaphanous fabrics alongside silks and satin to create lightness and movement. The palette captured the mood, moving from bronze on silvery grey to jewel blue, green and purples which bled together, and back to dusky shades of grey and silver which faded to white. “No beige,” Armani joked after the show. The collection conveyed elegance but also practicality: clothes that put the wearer at ease in any context and without prodding toward overt, revealing sexiness. Satiny trousers anchored many of the looks — jackets, transparent blouson layers, shimmering tops and off-shoulder chiffon dresses. “Vibrations, that means colours, that means movement, that means a structure that moves on the body,” Armani said. To demonstrate his vision, a model in a shimmering long dress and a diaphanous cape danced down the runway. Flat shoes finished all of the looks. “Women should not be enslaved to height or to a feline nature, being sexy at all costs,” the designer said. “There can be also a normal woman but who hopefully has a twinkle in the eye.” Armani for years has lamented a Milan fashion scene that tries too hard, focusing on novelty instead of what he sees as the essence of fashion: dressing women to express themselves. The designer said he sensed a change in this season’s Fashion Week, which ended on Sunday, with less frivolity. “Finally, I saw collections, from the photos, with a lot of normality. There is also a little research, which has to be part of this craft.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 7 gardening books you shouldn’t be without this autumn Kate Moss shares her wellness practices ahead of reaching milestone 50th birthday Naomi Campbell wears black lingerie on Dolce and Gabbana catwalk

In Europe the For You Page is about to be a little less for you.

Over the year, it's become commonplace for Google to shutdown one of its many products