BATON ROUGE — The start of a new school year can be challenging for some students, and experts say preparing for it now can help.

Experts have tips on how to help students transition back to the classroom.

"It's normal for them to have all kinds of emotions,” Jody Baumstein, a licensed therapist at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life Program, said.

Baumstein says as students head back to the classroom, gauge how they're feeling by asking open-ended questions and then simply listen.

“We think we need to swoop in and save them from the feeling. But when we say things like, don't worry, it's gonna be fine. It doesn't make anybody feel better. It actually makes them feel worse because now they feel like there's something wrong with them, they shouldn't feel that way and you don't get it,” Baumstein said.

She says returning to school can be nerve-wracking for some because of the unknowns, so help by filling in the blanks.

"So thinking about things like going to meet the teacher night or going and taking a tour of the school. If it's a new space, this is really important because a lot of kids have anxiety about the physical space,” Baumstein said.

Routines are important for children, so Baumstein says to start getting back into one. If summer bedtimes are different, inch back to where they should be before the first day of school. If there are new school supplies, practice using them so students are comfortable.

She says to keep the conversation going throughout the school year.