Ready or not, another school year is upon us! Stores have stocked their aisles with this year’s must-haves, families are finishing up their school supply shopping, and teachers are working hard to get their classrooms ready to welcome a new group of students. While kids may be excited to see who their teacher is, which friends they have in their class, and even what their new classroom looks like, let’s face it, transitions can be challenging. And entering a new grade is a BIG transition!
With every new transition comes a lot of unknowns. These unknowns can be stressful and overwhelming- especially for school-aged children. You can ease your child’s mind by helping them transition from “summer mode” to “school mode” with consistent routines, goal setting, and enthusiasm!
Consistent Routines
Some of the best perks of summer vacation are staying up late, sleeping in, and spending your days relaxing. During summer, routines are less rigid and there’s extra room built in to recharge. As school begins, it is important that you help your kids set up essential routines. Kids rely on morning, afternoon, and/or bedtime routines to remember important tasks, stay on track, and self-regulate. It’s important to practice these routines prior to school starting so that your child can build consistency. Visuals (ex: picture cards, written routines, posters) may help remind your child how and when to complete each step.
Goal Setting
Goal setting is an amazing way for you to help your child develop realistic and attainable goals for the upcoming school year. Creating these goals can help motivate your child throughout the year and may even get them excited about going back to school. Goals can be set weekly, monthly, quarterly, and even annually. PBS for Parents gives great suggestions for incorporating goal setting at home!
Excitement
This can be one of the easiest ways to ease your child’s mind about going back to school! Excitement is often “contagious” and can be used as a motivation tool. Helping your child get excited about school can be enjoyable as a parent, too. Here are some ways you can create excitement for the school year ahead:
Take your child back-to-school shopping for supplies or new clothes
Attend the school’s Open House/Meet the Teacher Night
Have conversations with your child about what they are looking forward to most
Read back-to-school books together
Let your child write and decorate their own routine boards
Enroll your child in an after-school program/extracurricular activity
Create a back-to-school countdown
Just because summer is over, doesn’t mean the fun has to end! Creating excitement for the new school year can be a great way to connect as a family. It requires a positive attitude and outlook from everyone involved. If your child is feeling anxious or worried about the upcoming school year, just know that it is more than okay to acknowledge their feelings and share a time you felt anxious or worried yourself. Helping your child ease back into the routines of a school schedule may help alleviate some of these worries and will hopefully leave them, and you, feeling a little bit more prepared and excited for the first day!
Written by Ami Z.