With school term looming, many parents feel the pressure of coaxing idle holiday kids into school term routines. But back to school time doesn’t have to be stressful. Follow the tips in this guide and you’ll be amazed how quickly your child adapts from holiday mode to happy student.
Over the holiday break we tend to put down our normal routines and instead allow ourselves to relax and recuperate. While that’s great for the mind, body and soul, what’s not ideal is trying to get back into those normal habits right when school starts up again.
Instead of waiting till first day of school to get the kids up early, dressed and ready for the world, try starting a week in advance. Reintroduce eating times, bedtime and everything that goes along with it. Good habits will make it easy for your child to ease back into a normal school schedule.
Arriving first day back at school can come as a shock for some school kids, especially as they’ve been enjoying the freedom afforded by the holidays. Try to negate these post-holiday blues by generating enthusiasm for the upcoming term. It could be anything from:
Going back to school doesn’t have to be a drag. Help your kids see schooling in a positive light before they head back and they’ll arrive at school happier and more adjusted.
If it’s your child’s first year at school, you can help equip them with the skills they’ll need in the lead up the beginning of the school term. Practice relevant tasks like:
If your child is shy, you can also encourage a bit more independence in the months leading up to first term by presenting them with challenges and opportunities to learn for themselves.
Whether your child has gone from primary to secondary or is just moving schools, taking them to the campus ahead of time will help prepare them for what lies ahead. However, if that’s not an option, there are some other things you can do to get ready for a new school:
Past positive associations can also help your child adapt to their new environment, so talk to them about times they have made new friends or enjoyed being in a new situation, that way, you can both anticipate what’s likely to occur at the new school.
Throughout childhood through to adolescence it’s common for certain fears and anxieties about school to manifest. If your child’s worries are affecting them to the point where they have trouble sleeping, attending school or doing their best, you can seek help.
Both the Center for Emotional Health and Brave Online can provide evidence-based tools and programs to help your child overcome anxiety and have more control over their fears of school and socialisation.
Preparing your child mentally for the school year ahead can be made easier by making sure they’ve got all the right gear:
While school will supply a lot of the stationary your child will need during school hours, there’s no doubt a time will come when your child forgets their pencil case or uses the old ‘I don’t have any pens’ line to get out of homework.
Make sure there’s some emergency stationary on hand so your child is never without. You can even encourage them to draw, colour or write over the break so they get into the hands of learning.
The trick to getting kids to do their homework is to create the right space and get them using it early. A small but comfortable desk in a place that’s not too distracting is perfect. Before school starts, set it up with some arts and crafts, computer or other activities your child enjoys. Get them using it in the afternoons so it’s natural they’ll gravitate to the space when it’s homework time.
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean the end of having fun. Structured exercise is a great way to help your child relax after a day spent in classrooms, and what better way is there to burn off that energy than with a home trampoline? Trampolining are a healthy, low impact sport that’s great for just about anyone. Check out Oz Trampolines full range today – you’re guaranteed to find something to suit your family.
