Making the transition from a long, fun summer to an often comparably rigid school environment can be tough for any child. And then of course for some there is the back to school period after a holiday break for Succot or Passover, or even Winter break. To make sure that the process is a little easier for your little ones, there are a wide variety of back to school hacks that can work really well! One of our most important roles as parents is helping kids adjust to the ups and downs of everyday life in a healthy positive way, to help them be the very best versions of themselves. Of course this might mean that we the adults have to work on ourselves first, but that is a good thing!
Let's talk about some important ways that you can help your child during this stressful transition period, and at the same time give them tools for life that can help in so many ways.
Show Your Child That You Can Still Have Fun
Making the transition as slow and gentle as possible for kids is key to ensuring that they’re not overwhelmed by a whole new world of changes. As such, it can be a great idea to deliberately plan a couple of calm summer activities to do after school during the first few weeks. Taking them to a petting zoo after school, for example, could be a great example of a small parcel of fun. These activities can keep the fun of summer alive, letting you both ease into the school routine with smiles on your faces.
Keep The First Few Weeks Clear After School
Depending on the home environment you’ve cultivated for your child, they may find that a loud and busy school environment is challenging after weeks of quiet, calm time at home. To allow them some time to come to terms with the big change, it may be ideal to keep their after school schedule clear for the first few weeks of school. That way, you’re allowing them to come home and catch their breath at their own pace. This acclimatizing is a great way to show your child that you trust their ability to manage their own needs, and give them their own space to grow and develop.
Work Together To Create A Routine
While it’s not ideal for all kids, a written routine kept in a visible location can be ideal for neuro-divergent kids, or simply just kids that are a little more precocious.
Work with them to understand what they might be worried about changing in the back-to-school transition, and set some time aside to address those worries every day. For instance, if your child is concerned that they won’t have time to engage in their favorite hobbies when they’re back at school, you could deliberately build in half an hour of that activity every night.
It may be the case that after a while in school, your child no longer feels they need this. That’s perfectly okay, of course - if you find that a routine develops organically on its own, then sticking rigidly to the original routine might be detrimental to a calm and secure home. As with all things parenting, take it slow, and listen to what everyone has to say.
The transition period when kids head back to school has long been a tricky point for many parents. However, with some gentle changes, you can ensure that the hurdles are as low as possible, and that your child remains calm and happy.
