Photo by Oleksandr P
It’s almost time for the kids to go back to school. Many parents will be relieved, however not all kids will be so happy.
For many kids, the summer holidays are a time of endless fun and games. Going back to school means returning to studies and routine. For those that struggle to keep up with work or get bullied, returning to school can be particularly daunting. On top of this, there could be fears of having to adjust to a new teacher or even getting used to a new school.
If your child seems unhappy about going back to school, here are some ways in which you can help them beat the back-to-school blues and get them excited.
Talk to them about their feelings and concerns
It’s worth talking to your child and asking them how they feel about going back to school. If they seem unhappy about it, try to get them to open up about why they’re unhappy. Problems like bullying or struggling with work are serious issues that need to be addressed, however you may find that many kids (particularly older kids) are embarrassed to open up about these issues. Remind your child that you’re there for them if they need to talk about problems at school. For some kids, it may not be as serious as this and could just be anxiety about a new teacher or disappointment that they won’t be able to continue playing video games all day.
Organise playdates with school friends
Going back to school could be an exciting opportunity to see friends again. However, some kids may be nervous about seeing certain friends if they haven’t seen them all summer. If you have their parents contact details, consider organising a playdate so that they can catch up before school begins. Older kids may be able to organise dates to see friends themselves, but you may have to encourage them to make plans.
Let them choose new school gear
The week before school is a popular time to buy new school gear. This could be an opportunity to get kids excited about going back to school by letting them choose the clothes or equipment they want. This could include new shoes, a new bag, a new lunchbox or a new pencil case. By letting kids choose something that they think is cool, you can get them excited about taking it to school and showing it to all their classmates. If their school allows it, you could even encourage them to customise their school gear with stickers and badges.
Read books about going back to school
Stories about going back to school could help kids to look forward to returning back. They could also help address fears or concerns kids may have about going back. This site lists a few great back to school books that could be worth looking into before the summer holidays come to an end.
Re-adopt a bedtime/morning routine beforehand
Routine can sometimes go out of the window during the school holidays. It’s worth helping kids settle back into a morning and evening routine before the new term starts, so that it’s not such an abrupt change for them. Many kids are comforted by routine and may welcome it back. Other kids may resist having to re-adopt a bedtime or having to get up early, however it’s better to deal with this resistance than having to deal with the night/morning before they return to school.
Provide encouragement on their first day
You can also make kids less nervous about their first day back at school by providing encouragement on the day. This could include telling them ‘have a fun day’ as you wish goodbye to them or even attaching one of these Sweet back to school gift tags to their bag. Small words of encouragement can have a big impact in comforting kids. Avoid getting angry and stressed so that they don’t start their first day with negativity.
Consider introducing new freedoms and rewards
A new school year could be the perfect time to introduce new freedoms or new rewards. Depending on your child’s age, this could include letting them walk to school on their own, introducing pocket money or even giving their first phone. This gives kids something else to look forward to – even if they’re not excited about school itself, they may look forward to the new term knowing that they’re allowed new privileges. Of course, there could be new privileges that they’ve earned at school too such as moving to the big playground, which could be worth reminding them of.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope this post helps you.
Stay wonderful!
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