Five Tips for a Better Back to School Transition

As summer draws to a close quicker than many of us would like, we want to highlight several ways to help ease the transition back to the school year for your anxious child. 

1. Start shifting sleep well in advance. Summers are filled with exciting events, from beach trips to baseball games to fireworks displays, which lead to later and later bedtimes. It can be incredibly difficult to get back in the swing of things when you suddenly need to wake up hours earlier than usual. As such, consider moving bedtimes earlier by small amounts in small increments. If your school aged child needs to be asleep by 9PM during the school year but is currently going to bed at 11PM, try shifting 15 minutes earlier a few days at a time over the course of the last few weeks. 
2. Create back to school traditions. Some parents and guardians choose to take kids out to a special breakfast and school shopping. Others have a particular day trip during the last week of summer. Or, you might consider having a special dinner the night before the first day. Whatever you do, creating a tradition adds an element of togetherness and positive anticipation to the back to school countdown. 
3. Practice the basics. So many kids are nervous about the “little things,” like being able to open their lockers or find their classes. Have them practice using a combination lock at home. Make a little map of the school when you go to visit on orientation day. Walk them through what to do if they were lost, identifying who they could ask and what they would say. These small steps can alleviate unnecessary stress. 
4. Be a good role model. Express confidence in your child’s ability to adjust to the new school year. If you seem nervous, they will feel more anxious. At the same time, remember not to ignore or dismiss their feelings. For example, you might say something like, “It’s natural to feel nervous about new things, and I know you can handle this.” 
5. Help them learn from their past. Was there a time they were nervous about something and they successfully faced it? Have they had other school years that started rocky but turned out well? Or, were there things that didn’t go well that could be handled differently? Teaching kids that they can learn from both past successes and failures can set them up for more success in the future.