Wellness,

Back To School- Here are Some Must-Know Tips To Ace The Transition

Jul 15, 2022 | Wellness | 0 Comments | 97

For young ones getting back to school after a massive break of 2 years, the transition might not go down smoothly. Separation anxiety, irregular routine, social anxiety, and other related issues might make our kids nervous to go back to regular school timings. For a parent, the transition period is the toughest part of this period making sure that going back to school is not a battle for our young ones. 

Since two years is a long time, it is quite natural for our kids to get used to the normal routine of attending school from home. All children have different personalities so it cannot be expected that all of them would be excited to get back to school and resume the status quo. This is especially true for those children who started formal schooling on a laptop- a transition to full-blown 5 hours of school might be tough on them if introduced arbitrarily. 

So how can you as a parent ace this transition for your children and make it easy for them to attend school again by reducing these concerns? Keep reading! 

Address The Problem Head On- Do not expect your child to react like every other person! Your child is a unique personality with their own expectations, emotions, and ideas. Some children are social and extroverted, while some children choose to be more reserved and shy. While there is no harm in encouraging your child to socialize and meet new people, you need to acknowledge your child’s unique personality and understand that some children may not like social gatherings all the time. Naturally, such children have been accustomed to online schooling and might be intimidated to go back to physical school again. Instead of taking away their floaties and pushing them into the pool, talk to them about their anxieties, concerns, and reservation. Address these issues head-on as a family before school re-opens instead of letting it sit and worsening your child’s attitude towards school. 

Dealing With Separation Anxiety- One of the key responsibilities as a parent is keeping your child safe and making them feel that they are protected and secure. As young children, especially 1st and 2nd graders who have only known their safe homes as their ‘school’ go to their actual school, your child might be nervous and feel some aspects of separation anxiety. This is the time you as a parent, make some change and empower your child to embrace this without them feeling insecure and scared. Schedule play-dates, make sure you are letting them spend time by themselves, and foster independence is just some of the ways you can help your child ace the transition. Remember, start these practices way ahead of school re-opening so that your child is used to this by the time they get ready to attend full-time classes. 

Routine- The toughest part of the transition is getting back into a strict routine. From breakfast, and top school pick-ups, to a proper bedtime, scheduling these after a gap of 2 years is tough on both the parent and the child. Instead, start focusing on setting a routine at least a week before school starts. Be strict about bedtime to make sure that your children are getting enough sleep, and have had enough practice of waking up on time so that on D-Day, there are no tantrums. Please make sure the kids make enough time to catch up on extra-curricular activities, meal times, and homework, and collaborate WITH them to make a routine that actually works! 

Lastly, Some Retail Therapy! 

Listen, retail therapy can make everything better! A new school bag, a brand new pair of shoes, some monsoon gear, a sparkly tiffin box, or a superhero water bottle can make all the difference too! Get your kids excited about school with some good old shopping- trust us it works all the time!