It is coming up to that time of year again when the kids are nearly about to go back to school. Some may not have even been to school since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, so it is important to be prepared for when they do. Whether your child is ready for school or has expressed that they don’t want to go back, here are some helpful tips that should help you both along the way.
Talk About Feelings
It is important to take your child’s emotional well-being seriously, so perhaps sit down with them and ask them how they are feeling about school. If you child knows the extent of the coronavirus pandemic, then they may be feeling slightly worried. They may be really excited to go back, it is so important to keep that excitement going right up until they leave to go to school.If you make going back to school sound too overwhelming for them, then they may start to feel overwhelmed too. It is important to talk through everything they are feeling and support them.A problem shared is a problem halved.
Start Implementing a Routine
To make the change from being at home all the time to going back to school less dramatic, start slowly adjusting from the summer routine to the school routine. If your kids go to bed earlier on a school night, try slowly getting them off to bed earlier and earlier so that they don’t get upset about the sudden change.
Meal planning is a great way to help with the stress of taking the kids home from school, and dealing with homework and clubs etc. If you plan your meals for everyday of the week and put them up in the kitchen or somewhere where your kids can see, it will result in less upset when they realize they don’t want a certain meal for their dinner because they will have had the week to come to terms with it. It will also be a luxury to not hear “what’s for dinner?” every single day!
Set Up a Homework Space
If you have a desk anywhere or the kids have one in their rooms, maybe treat them to a small filing cabinet to go on their desk so that their homework can be sorted. Make their desk their own little personal workspace and they will feel so much more productive, and maybe even want to do their homework more often! Having a more organized space for your kids to work in may also mean that any letters coming home from school will not be missed if they have a designated tray just for letters. If you can, buying new stationery is always a bonus with any new workspace.
Going back to school is an exciting time for some children, but it can be nerve-wracking for some. Take these steps to make sure that they are all ready to go.