FORT SMITH, Ark. — With the school year in full swing, mental health professionals say now is a good time for parents to check in with their children — and themselves.

"It’s a huge change for both the parent, for both the child, and that can lead into a lot of different emotions," Saige Small, a mental health counselor at the Guidance Center in Fort Smith, said.

Small said one of the biggest things to watch for is any change in a child’s daily behavior.

"If we’re seeing our child come home from school and they’re not wanting to talk about it or not wanting to share, that can be normal," Small said. "If we’re seeing something develop that has not happened before, that would be where we can, you know, open up our child to questioning, like, 'Hey, how was your day? Did you make a new frien

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