Changes in routines, travel, visits from friends and families can all be fun adventures for younger children but can also lead to big emotions.
For some children, this can lead to the resurgence or development of separation anxiety, or other challenging behaviors when they return to school after break.
Preparing before your child goes back to school can help ease the transition. Here are six things you can try:
1) If bedtime and morning wake up times change during break, then begin to get back to your child’s normal sleep schedule several days before school begins.
2) Talk to children about school during break and the enjoyable things they do at school. Children often look to their parents to gauge how to react to new contexts and transitions. If you’re calm and positive, then they’ll be more likely to transition smoothly too.
3) Read books about emotions and school, like "The I'M NOT SCARED BOOK" by Todd Park. Reading together helps you gauge how your child is feeling about the transition and opens up opportunities to talk about it.
4) If your child shows signs of potential separation anxiety, have them bring in something from home that may comfort them the first day back, like a blanket or stuffed animal.
5) Remind them of the routine for the end of the school day - who will pick them up? What will they do after school? When children know what to expect, it helps them self-regulate.
6) Reflect on how YOU feel about the transition back to school (or back to work after some time away). Is your child nervous about the transition or are you projecting your own worries onto your child?