These tips will be handy if your children feel anxious or irritable at the end of the summer break and before the start of the new school year
School is just around the corner—children and teenagers return to their usual routines after more than two months of vacation, free from schedules, studying, and exams. The return to school doesn’t always evoke enthusiasm—some kids get nervous, others become irritable, and the youngest might even deny the inevitable. Some may even develop post-vacation blues, showing symptoms like sadness, irritability, disrupted sleep, or digestive issues.
Moreover, according to Understand.org, 87% of parents with children under 18 report feeling stressed or anxious about the start of the school year.
Regardless of whether this stress is due to post-vacation blues or simply the usual nerves before the new school year, several simple and effective guidelines can help make the return to school smoother:
1. Prepare your child for school with a calendar and themed books
Help your children understand that the return to school is near. Older children might already grasp that the day is approaching, but younger ones may not fully understand the concept of time and might not realize that they’ll soon have to return to school and be separated from their parents. In such cases, themed books and stories can be helpful. They allow children to visualize the moment, gradually accept it, and make the first days easier to handle.
Additionally, using a calendar with younger children can be very effective: mark the first day of school, show them what the date is today, and remind them daily. This will help them better understand the concept of time. It is especially recommended to do this in the days leading up to the return to school.
2. Present the return to school as something positive
While it might seem obvious, it’s not always so in practice. Sometimes, we may not realize how we express our reluctance to return to work in front of our children. While it’s good to share certain emotions with them, it’s important to be cautious in these matters because children look up to us and might internalize our attitude toward important tasks. Therefore, it’s better not to talk about returning to work as a burden—this can help children understand that starting anew doesn’t have to be hard.
3. Tell your child about upcoming excursions and special activities
Teachers or other parents may already have information about upcoming school trips, interesting electives, or special days at school. Emphasizing the new experiences they will enjoy with their friends during the school year can serve as an additional motivator for them.
4. Explain what they will learn this year
Even though older children might express reluctance to take on more homework, in reality, children are eager to learn new things. They feel more grown-up, which boosts their self-esteem. Highlighting the milestones they will reach in school this year can motivate them. For example, “This year, you will learn to read,” or “You will master the multiplication tables.” Of course, if this causes stress for your child, it’s better to skip this option.
5. Review last year’s material
A couple of weeks before the new school year begins, review some of the key topics from the previous year with your child. This will refresh their memory and help them feel more confident as they start the new school year.
6. Involve children in preparing school supplies
Choosing pencil cases, backpacks, colored pencils, folders… If anything brings children joy before the start of school, it’s this. Although it’s becoming more common to buy school supplies online, why not take your kids to a stationery store or shopping center and let them pick out what they like best? If that’s not possible, you can show them options online and let them choose and unpack the order themselves.
7. Gradually return to regular routines
Gradually returning to normal routines is a must, supported by educators, psychologists, and parenting experts. Ideally, start transitioning to school schedules one to two weeks before the new school year. But even if you do this just a few days before school starts, it will still be beneficial. While children might not like it, having their evening routine, dinner, and bedtime stories mimic what they will have during the school year will help them adapt better. They’ll be more rested on the first day of school, which, in turn, will help them manage their nerves.
8. Communicate with them
Let your children know that their feelings and concerns about school are important. Talk to them, listen, and help them understand that it’s normal to feel nervous before starting classes. Emotional support is the best help we can offer children.
9. Be patient
Children may not want to express their feelings, or if they’re younger and don’t know how to, they may show their emotions through irritability or nervousness. In this case, it’s significant to be patient. Understand that this is part of the adaptation process and that, gradually, everything will return to normal, and they will once again be happy to go back to school.
10. Encourage children to meet up with classmates
Organize a get-together with classmates in the last days of summer break. This could be a picnic in the park, a movie outing, or even a small party at someone’s home. Such a gathering will help children reconnect with friends after the long summer break, reduce anxiety about returning to school, and create positive emotions associated with the start of the new school year. It’s also a great way to discuss upcoming school events and get into a positive mindset together with friends.
