Wellbeing

Strategies for Readjusting to School After the School Holidays

Going back to school after the holidays can often be a challenging transition for kids. The shift from leisure and flexibility back to structure and academic demands requires a combination of mental, emotional, and practical preparation. 

Parents and carers might be wondering what they can do to support their child as they readjust back to school. Here are five tips that can help:

Renegotiate Routines

Like adults, children are likely to have established quite different routines during the holidays. They may have also become used to more screen time than usual.

To ease the transition to a regular school routine, it is worth making slow adjustments like getting up and going to bed at a more consistent time. Parents can support independence by negotiating new routines with their child. 

Allow Time for Adjustment

Returning to school may bring uncertainty, excitement, fatigue or other big emotions. Some children may seem particularly tired after their first few days, while others may be more sensitive or less tolerant than usual.

Don’t despair if your child seems to experience bigger emotions at home than at school; this likely means that home is a safe place to return to! Help children to name any negative emotions that arise, such as frustration, and gently coach them to consider other ways of expressing themselves.

Be tolerant yourself, and don’t sweat the small things!

Acknowledge Children’s Worries

Children may have specific worries related to changing friendships or to being back at school. Younger children may also experience separation anxiety.

If your child raises concerns about returning to school, it is useful to provide simple and factual information while providing gentle reminders that the adults around them are there to help them. Adopt a problem-solving approach – helping children to focus on what they can control, rather than worrying about things that are outside our control.

Regardless of the source of their worries, it is important to acknowledge and validate your child’s feelings. You can point out that many children may be feeling the same way and that their concerns are understandable. At the same time, remaining calm and focusing on the positive aspects of returning to school can help to relieve some of their concerns.

Coach Empathy

Children have had different experiences during lockdown and may have different feelings about being back at school. Understanding that other children may feel differently can help your child to be a good friend.

Before returning to school, remind children that some of their friends will feel more nervous about returning than others. 

If your child has been in a “friendship bubble” with only a small number of other friends, encourage them to include those who have not. Being empathetic towards others and acknowledging how they are feeling will not only help your child socially, it is also an important socio-emotional skill to master.

Be Optimistic

Remember that most children adjust well when faced with new challenges. Parents can prompt children to remember what they enjoy most about school to help them look forward to each day. Reminiscing about funny stories or enjoyable school events that children have experienced can help with this process.

It is helpful for your own approach to reflect optimism and confidence. Avoid introducing your own worries if you can – parent anxiety can be contagious!

If you observe any concerning and sustained changes in your child’s behaviour as they navigate the return to school, please feel free to reach out to your child’s class teacher or a member of the Wellbeing Team.

Brittany Taylor,

School Psychologist