The end of Summer vacation can often be a bittersweet time for children as well as parents. While many students look forward to getting back to school to see their friends and classmates, some don’t want the fun days of Summer to come to a close. Getting children back into “school mode” can be challenging, so here are a few ideas to make the transition less troublesome or exhausting for everyone.
As vacation time winds down, it is definitely a good idea to gradually introduce more structure back into your home. A few weeks before school is scheduled to begin, start waking your children up a little earlier each day. Also, try putting your younger children to bed sooner in the evening, especially if they have been staying up later the last couple of months. This will help them to be less cranky and uncooperative on the busy mornings when school is actually back in session. Getting up and dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, collecting lunches and seeing to it that backpacks are all ready can be mind-boggling for parents the first few days until a routine is established. Try to remain calm.
Hopefully your children have done some daily reading over the Summer so that they have not lost the academic skills they acquired the previous year. If they have not been reading, it is important to reacquaint them to books a few weeks before school starts to make sure their brains are ready to learn once the New Year begins. For the youngest children, begin reading bedtime stories again if you had discontinued that practice. For older children, review vocabulary words from the previous year if you have them. Reviewing addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts is also a beneficial idea. If the teacher from the previous year had sent home Summer Activity Packets, it would be helpful for your child to pull out some of those and complete them as well.
Even children who love school might feel a bit apprehensive about returning after months of being at home having fun, so you need to focus on the positive aspects of going back. Allow your kids to do some of their own “back to school” shopping. Encourage them to choose some of their own clothing so they can feel excited for the new school year. Also, they might enjoy assisting you with picking out some of their classroom supplies which they will be needing that have been recommended by their new teachers.
For children entering Kindergarten, going to school for the very first time can be a frightening experience, especially if Mommy too is also experiencing any kind of “separation anxiety.” That is why it is so important for parents to focus on being positive and to try to be hopeful that things will be just fine. I have written a fun, optimistic poem called “First Day of School” which is included in my book, BUTTERFLIES, BEARS, and OTHER POEMS for CHILDREN. It tells about the excitement of riding on the bus for the very first time, meeting the new teacher, finding out where his/her desk is, meeting new friends and classmates, reading books, and recess. I am certain your child will enjoy it. So, what are you waiting for? Why not purchase my book for your child today, ’cause I think school is ‘gonna be neat! (I know, because I was a former first grade teacher, and I tried to make school as fun as I could for my students.) I hope your children have a very successful school year!
