Prepping kids for going back to school

All the transitions in school-going years can cause anxiety for children.

THE transition back to school can be challenging for children at all levels of primary school, not just for those starting “big” school.

Primarily, the challenge is one of getting back into routine, says Áine Lynch, CEO of National Parents Council Primary, pointing to the more loosely-structured summer holidays: Mealtimes on the run, more relaxed bedtimes, and children have a lot more outside activity, a lot more choice and self-directed activity.

“For young children, the transition to a very structured school day can be tough. At the same time they crave structure too. The job of parents is to guide them back into that structure.”

Lynch recommends getting children back to more regular bedtimes and ensuring they have consistent meals over the next week.

Mention every now and then about preparing for school — ask: “what would you like to do before you go back to school?”

For some children, there will be additional transitional challenges.

Almost all will be moving up a class and this usually involves a new teacher.

“Some children might be going into split classes, where their class is being split up between classrooms. This can be anxiety-making because they’re changing from the children they’ve become used to,” says Lynch.

Children going into sixth class may be hyper-aware this is their last year in primary and soon it’s all going to change. This can be a source of anxiety.

All these transitions require adjustment and kids can feel a mix of emotions, excited one day, scared the next.

“It’s important to give them opportunities to talk about this and to acknowledge these feelings as valid,” says Lynch, who urges parents to be “calming figures” in the midst of children’s anxiety, rather than reactive to it.

“Listen to what they’re saying, both verbally and emotionally, but reassure them that — while change is scary — it’s also part of life. Support them to manage the change.”

For children who experienced a negative situation at school last year (eg, bullying) that hasn’t yet been resolved, talk of school starting up may trigger big worries.

“Parents need to be aware of anxieties coming up in their children, to explore what’s behind these and to put a plan in place – this might be speaking to the teacher or allocating time at the end of the first day for parent and child to talk about how it all went,” says Lynch, adding if a child knows an adult is monitoring things, it can relieve anxiety.

TOP TIPS

* Ensure child continues to enjoy rest of holidays. Don’t over-focus on back to school.

* Slowly re-introduce structure — make mealtimes/bedtimes 10 minutes earlier each day over the next week.

* Put the idea of school in your child’s mind this week. Ask questions like ‘what would you like in your school lunch next week?’

* The house can feel quite empty when kids return to school. Parents should ensure they plan something nice for themselves.