Are your kids experiencing Back to School Blues?

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I remember when I was a little girl - I could not wait for the school year to end and for the summer vacation to start. The quicker the summer went by, the more stressed out I’d feel and start experiencing the Back to School blues. Well, I know I am not alone. Most kids feel the same way - even up to now, I know my kids go through this phase as the new school year draws to a new beginning.

Is there something we can do as parents to help our child get over the Back to School blues? Below are some tips you can apply to prepare your child for the new school year:

1. A few days before school starts, get them back to the regular “School night” schedule. It may be different for each family - bed times are not all the same - just make sure to get them to bed early so they have enough sleep. Don’t let them sleep in, make sure they are used to waking up early (in time for school).

2. Listen to your child. Discuss with them how they feel about going back to school - are they excited, nervous, afraid? Talk to them about those feeling and assure them that these are normal feelings especially just before school starts. I’m sure you may have felt something similar when you were younger.

3. If you can, go to the school a few days in advance and have a tour of the school. This is especially good if your child will start attending a new school. This will make them feel less nervous about getting lost in the campus.

4. Assign a special spot for your child to work on daily assignments and projects. Have a spot for their backpack and school things that way everything is in one place and not misplaced. It may be a smart idea to go through your child’s backpack and folder together that way you both know what homework needs to be done and if there are any special notes sent home by the school.

5. Figure out together how long it will take for your child to be ready in the morning. You could do a “test run” of your morning preparation for school. This way, you can make sure your child has enough time to get ready. Prepare the backpacks and school clothes the night before so your child is more relaxed and not in a rush to get ready.

6. Finally, you can throw a back to school blues-buster party. Make it a special night just before school starts. Eat a special fun dinner and dessert and perhaps watch your favorite movie after dinner. Just make sure though that they still get to bed early enough for them to get a good night’s sleep.

Many children go through back to school blues. What helps is making sure that you speak to your child about how they feel and reassuring them that everything will be alright.

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