What to do if your child mentions a 'back-to-school necklace'

Signs that a teen is worried about going back to school include this phrase.

Parents should take it seriously when a child anxious about returning to school mentions a "back-to-school necklace.

Depending on which student you talk to, back-to-school season may be a welcome shift back into a familiar routine with friends, an anxiety-provoking transition that raises fears about classwork, bullies, and school violence, or a complex combination of both. While back-to-school jitters are normal, intense fear or refusal to return are signals that your child needs additional emotional support. 

One unexpected sign of this struggle could be offhand remarks about a "back-to-school necklace," or internet searches and social media posts related to the term. In some cases, a teen might be referencing despair or suicidal feelings about returning to school, similar to a meme that pairs the phrase "back-to-school necklace" with suicidal behavior. (Mashable isn't sharing more details about this term to avoid spreading suicide contagion to vulnerable readers. If you're a student who found this story via that search term, please consider talking to a trusted friend or adult about your feelings, or consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.) 

Whether teens are using this term as slang to offhandedly indicate they're not thrilled to go back or they're actively feeling suicidal about returning, it's clear that parents are worried about what their kids will experience this school year. A recent survey of 532 parents by On Our Sleeves, a national movement for children's mental health, found that 79 percent of respondents are worried about issues like bullying, racism and discrimination, school safety and violence, and ongoing challenges related to the pandemic.

SEE ALSO: 8 online experiences linked to suicide in kids and teens 

Ariana Hoet, Ph.D., clinical director of On Our Sleeves and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, says that when children make references to phrases like "back-to-school necklace," it's possible they're trying to express frustration but have no intention of harming themselves and do not feel suicidal.