Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Traditions, Safety, and the Changing Landscape of Education

Back-to-school season brings a mix of nostalgia and concern. For families in Maryland and DC, the return to classrooms invites reflection on how traditions have shifted, and how safety and values continue to evolve. This post explores personal memories, cultural changes, and the challenges facing today’s students and parents.

I know that many schools have started classes in late August; however, others are beginning at the traditional time in September. When I was a girl, school always started the day after Labor Day. Mother made new dresses for each of us, and a picture was always in order. I imagine you may have a collection of those first day of school pics.

Today, unless you are in a system that uses uniforms, anything seems to go. The jeans with rips and tears in them are extremely popular. Those would have gone in the rag bag, and parts of them would have been used to wash the car. Oh yes, we washed the car each week. I guess people do not do that anymore either. The local carwash is grateful that the suds bucket and old scraps of jeans have gone by the wayside.

What else has gone by the wayside? Grammar? Manners? Safety?

I often wonder where the use of “like” started. Teens and young adults seem to punctuate every 3 or 4 words with this dreaded syllable. What does it mean? “I am going to like make plans with like my friends for like Saturday, Mom, if that is like ok with you, like”

It does not even make sense as punctuation. Please, I am serious. If you have the history of the insertion of this dreaded word, please “like” drop me a line.

Do you remember “Miss Manners”? This was an entertaining and enlightening newspaper column written by Judith Martin for the Washington Post. You could send her any type of question or situation. She would publish your story and then give you clear, concise and sage advice on how to proceed. The stories were often funny, and the advice was truly ingenious. Who provides that older, wiser advice for you now? To whom do you go when you need guidance on the next best thing to do?

As our children and grandchildren head back to school this fall, I imagine that many of us are wondering if they will be safe. Violence inside the school has become common place. Parents worry if their child’s school will be the next news flash where a person with an assault rifle sprays bullets all over the classroom. How can we feel safe when we protect the right of people to bear assault rifles?

Some part of me wants to go back to the time that children had their picture taken on the first day of school and looked forward to getting back into the routine of learning and having recess on the playground.

If you’re navigating back-to-school transitions or concerned about safety and emotional well-being, therapy can help. Explore therapy for adults and families in DC or learn more about therapeutic approaches that support families through change. For practical safety tips, visit the National Safety Council’s Back to School Safety Checklist.