Going back to school after long summer break can be quite of a challenge for both – kids and parents. Depending on your kids’ attitude, the transition could be either smooth and without any unnecessary stress or pretty bumpy. Either or, today we will share a few tips that will definitely help you make the beginning of a new school year as pleasant as possible for everyone involved.

1.Set up a back-to-school routine

As all the kids need time to adjust to new routine and realise the summer holidays are over, you should start implementing the new school year routine a few days in advance. It will help both you and your kids to create a structure and set up clear expectations. Don’t forget about healthy habits around sleep and also discussing a practical morning routine. If possible, consider to adjust your own schedule to make the transition smoother.

2.  Ask your children about how are they feeling about going back to school

Part of the success in getting your kids ready for school is to talk to them about the new term and find out what they are looking forward to. Whether they are excited about it or maybe a bit anxious – you should always remind them how nice it will be to see and play with their friends at school after the summer break. Try to address any concerns they might have and reassure them that they can always speak to you or their teacher if there is anything they are worried about.

3. Make sure you have everything ready for the new school year

As a parent, did you do your homework and prepared everything that your children will need for the beginning of the school year? Did you think about the backpack, uniform, new comfortable shoes? Our tip is to check your kids’ wardrobe just to make sure that everything still fits, as the little ones grow so fast! It’s also a good idea to pop a spare pair of trousers/skirt, socks/tights to your kid’s PE bag, just in case of any accidents at school.

4. Remind your kids about the ground rules

As going back to school means adapting to new schedule for everyone, you should establish with your children some ground rules. Discuss with them when and where they will do their homework. Make sure to cover the topics such as watching TV and visiting friends. You’ll find it very helpful to go over this together with your kids, so there is no extra drama or misunderstandings once the school season is back.

5. Provide the encouragement and reassurance if your children are feeling anxious

If you see that your kids may feel a bit stressed about going back to school, assure them that this is a natural feeling, especially if they are changing school or going to meet new classmates. Let them know that other kids might feel exactly the same way and if it’s possible maybe you could arrange a play day with some of the other children from school, just to make them feel more comfortable. You can always think about leaving encouraging notes on your child’s lunch box (as long as your kids are comfortable with it).