It's less stressful and quite smooth to get back to school if it’s done gradually instead of suddenly realizing that “there is school tomorrow”. The adjustment period for students who feel ‘back to school anxiety’ should start 2 weeks prior to the re-opening of the school. During this time, it’s the best to calm them down by reading bedtime stories to help calm their jitters. Older children have already gone through the phase many times, so they need approximately a week to get back on track.
Here are some back to school tips for parents, which you can help your kids get back into the rhythm of a school routine so that they are rested and prepared to head back to the classrooms and start their learning afresh!
1. Shopping For Stationery:
Back to school shopping can be a tedious affair for the parents, but for the students, it is always a thing to look forward to and get excited about. You should definitely take your children along with you when shopping for school supplies so that they are equally involved in the process and pumped about it. Make it as a tradition so that they look forward to it every year around the re-opening of school after every break.2. Make Sure They Are Getting Enough Sleep:
Determining how many hours of sleep your child should be getting can help you figure out a proper wake-up and bedtime accordingly. Make a nigh regime if possible and follow it 2 weeks prior to the start of the school.3. Read Every Night:
Holidays can often interrupt the habit of reading and it can be a cumbersome process to get back to it. Reading every night before the school starts can instill the habit slowly and steadily among the students so that it isn’t a task for them once their lessons start. This is one of the important back to school tips for parents.4. Project-Based Classes:
Enrolling them for some project/education based classes where they learn a lot about current situations and start thinking from a different perspective can be very beneficial. It gets them in the thinking and reasoning zone without the formal school setting. This makes the transition to classrooms easier.5. Less Use Of Technology:
It's important to keep electronics away from the children since it can hamper the sleep patterns and lead to a disrupted sleep. Make a rule to be away from all electronic devices at least 30 minutes before sleeping time and also limit the screen time available every day.6. Set Up A Comfortable Place To Study:
A clean, well-lit and comfortable place to study can sometimes do the trick of grabbing your children’s attention and making them love their study space. Get them into a habit of using this space regularly so that when school starts and home assignments start pouring in, they look forward to spending time there.7. Plan Their School Meals With Them:
Eating healthy and light during school times is the best for a child’s health. Start planning their weekly lunchbox menus so that they are also excited about getting back into the school routine and maybe search some new recipes online which they will savour.8. Get Your Child Excited About A New Activity:
Starting a new extra-curricular activity is always exciting, whether it is music, theatre or soccer. These activities are always great to develop new skills and can help take your child’s mind off from their back to school nervousness.9. Encourage Positive Thinking:
A positive mindset can go a long way in how your child processes stress and handles it the first few days of school. Try talking to your child about the exciting parts of going back to school, meeting friends, learning new curricular activities, etc. Discussing this over a period of two weeks will make it easy for them to resume school after a break. This is also one of the important back to school tips for parents.10. Create A Daily Schedule Or Encourage Your Child To Use A Planner:
Returning to responsibilities is always a task for the little ones. Help your child by adding some structure to their routine days and keep track by using a planner. If your child is older, encourage them to intern/volunteer for a few hours each day at some startup or NGO to help make the transition gentle.As every child is unique, you may need to customize these tips to suit your ward. However, the basics remain unchanged for all children. Follow these simple steps to create a positive attitude and to ease the anxiety before starting school again!
