Wellbeing & Inclusion 

at Willy

Keeping a Routine Without the Rigidity

School holidays are a chance for kids (and grown-ups!) to slow down, sleep in, and follow their own pace for a while; and that's exactly how it should be. But too loose a routine can make the return to school in week one feel like a jolt for everyone. The good news is you don't need a strict timetable to bridge the gap; just a few loose anchors through the break.

A few things that help:

• Keep wake-up and bedtime roughly consistent: within an hour or so of the school routine. A late night here and there is fine, but try not to let bedtime drift later and later as the holidays go on.
• Build in a few predictable touchpoints each day: breakfast together, a daily walk, screen-free time before bed. Kids don't need a packed schedule, just a few familiar markers to hang the day on.
• Let go of the rest. Meals, activities, and downtime can be flexible. The goal isn't to recreate the school day, it's just to stop sleep and wake times from drifting too far.
• Ease back in the last few days. A couple of days before school returns, start nudging bedtimes and mornings back to the term-time routine. It's much gentler than trying to fix it all on the Sunday night before week one.
• Talk about the return positively but realistically; a quick "school's back on Monday" conversation a few days out helps kids mentally prepare, rather than the news landing as a surprise.

A little structure goes a long way in making the first morning back feel manageable rather than like hitting a wall.

In addition, there are some great family activities on in Melbourne these school holidays:

• Lightscape - Until August: Lightscape Tickets
• Bluey’s Big Play - July 1-12: The Bluey Stage Show
• Pokemon Go Fest - July 11-12: Pokemon Go Event
• Fitzroy Gardens Outdoor Adventure - Until October 31st: Free Event
• DIY Craft Workshops -  Until August 24: Lightning Planet
• Melbourne Magic Festival - Jun 30 - July 11: Magic Fest
• Dinos at the Zoo - Until July 12: Melbourne Zoo

 Wishing all our families a relaxing and well-deserved break!

Kind regards,

Lisa Leydin                                                                  Anna Swan

Assistant Principal                                                   Learning Specialist

Disability, Inclusion & Wellbeing                        Mental Health and  Wellbeing Leader