Tips for Parents in Supporting the Transition Back to School

Midway through August with the days growing shorter and a bit cooler, back to school becomes more real for parents and kids alike. With the thought of school and the transition back to the routines, afterschool programing and homework, some parents anticipate the challenges of the transition back to school. Here I provide some tips to get you started in supporting this transition:

1. Check-in. Check-in with your child about how they are feeling with school starting in three weeks. Giving space for all responses ranging from nervous about who their teacher will be or if their best friend will be in their class, to excitement about seeing friends again, to hating school and not wanting to go. Regardless of the emotion, active listening is the best approach to allow your child to get their feelings off their chest, and to feel heard and validated.
2. Talk about what to expect. The end of the school year can feel like ages ago to a child, so walking through what the school day looks like including the before and afterschool routine/programming. In addition to what they could expect on the first day and first week of school.
3. Consider countdown calendar. For some kids this can be essential to have a sense of time as one thing ends (summer) and another begins (school). Or you can also countdown in how many more sleeps until the first day of school. Only you know what may work best for your child.
4. Transition the routine. Morning and bedtime routines often change in the summer months, it is important to start to shift waketimes and bedtimes a few minutes everyday to the timing they need to be for a regular school day. Supporting the routine may also include getting ready by a certain time each morning, and taking the route/walk to school before the first day.
5. Reconnect with school friends. If your child has not seen any of their school friends all summer, it may help with the transition to book a playdate with one or two close friends beforehand.

If you need additional support reach out to me, I am Nicole Levy and I would be happy to help [email protected]. ​