Prepping for back to school
Many of us have children who are getting ready to return to school for a new year and most students in the Houston area are returning to face to face learning. For some families, students may have been virtual for the past year and a half. For many, this can bring an overwhelming amount of uncertainty and emotions. The past year and a half has taken a mental and emotional toll on all of us. Below are some tips for preparing and transitioning in hopes of a great school year.
Communicate openly with your child: Begin asking them about how they feel regarding the return to school. Respect their opinion, even if it differs from yours. Having open ended conversations can provide more relief over shutting them down because they don’t feel ready to go. If they say they are not ready, help explore with them what they need to find comfort in the return.
Help your child feel confident in their return: There can be a lot of anxiety about going back in person. Having to engage face to face with others may be something children have not done for some time. Assure them that they are capable. Practice having conversations with them, such as when the teacher calls on them how do they respond, or how they can communicate with the cafeteria worker on which meal they want. Role play can provide comfort for when the real conversation happens. Present yourself as confident as well. Children reflect off of how they see us act.
Start developing a routine now: The sooner the better. Its summer, so for many there is no routine. Kids are sleeping in until noon, playing games all day, and staying up late, which is okay! Start developing the routine of getting ready for bed and waking up at a reasonable time so that the first day of school isn’t absolute chaos. Teach the younger ones that there is a set time limit on how long they get to have lunch for and get them practicing this, that way they can eat their entire meal during lunch time. Eliminate naps if possible, that way kids aren’t trying to sleep at their desks. Going from no routine to a structured one can be difficult on all family members. A recommendation is to write out a daily schedule and place it on the refrigerator for all family members to see, and encourage it to be followed.
Manage what you can: The new school year is always a big time for many. Understand that you and your child may experience stress or discomfort in the transition. Listen for signs of distress in your child and know the resources available to you and your child, should you need additional help. It is always okay to reach out to others. The CDC has written this article on helping young children and parents transition back to school.
And lastly, don’t forget to breathe: Remind your children of this too. When faced with an overwhelming amount of stress or emotions we can start to lose control of our breathing. Take big slow inhales through your nose, hold it there for a few seconds, then slowly breathe out your mouth. Show your children this technique for when they are hesitant to exit your car on that first drop off of the year, remind them to use it when walking into the classroom, and any other time they may find helpful. Practicing this daily will help make it routine and be useful for those hard times.
One more thing, have a great school year!
Written by: Meaghan Lightfoot-Warner, LCSW-S