Parents Learning Together

It’s normal for our children, and ourselves, to feel anxious when starting a new school year. A few tips and tricks can help make the transition a little smoother.

Tips for a smoother transition back to school (adapted from Child Mind Institute)

Don’t have high expectations during the first month – children can feel overwhelmed returning to school, and it can take all of their energy to regulate at the end of their school day. Try to schedule plenty of time after school for your kids to process, unwind, regulate, and have some fun.

Don’t forget to refuel – not having your children with you all the time can make it challenging to know what they are and aren’t eating. Encouraging and modelling healthy eating and healthy snacks can help when you aren’t with them.

Do talk about changing friendships – talking about what to expect when school starts is a good way to ease kids into the idea that social relationships change. A best friend from last year can appear distant the next year. Being able to share friends and to have friends overlap, is a skill that’s important to learn.

Don’t share your anxieties – parents can get very caught up in their children’s social lives because we want them to make good friends, be happy, and learn social skills that will help make them successful adults. Instead of asking “Did you make any friends?”, try instead “Tell me three things you liked/didn’t like about your day”.

Do have a trial run – children with anxiety or that have refused to go to school in the past, can benefit from a “dry run” before school starts. Going to the school playground, walking through the school halls, visiting classrooms and meeting the teacher, if possible, can all help to get reacquainted with school. Trial runs are also great for kids transitioning to a new school.

Do help kids manage their commitments – the fact is that kids these days tend to get over-involved in after school activities, and that by the time they get home, they’re too exhausted for homework. Make sure your kids get plenty of ‘downtime’, so that they can unwind and process their day.