Do you feel the crispness in the air? September has rolled around and that can only mean one thing for parents and children alike: it is time to go back to school. This can be a stressful time for the entire family. Worrying about getting good grades, getting along with classmates and pleasing the teachers, all while figuring out the realities of life and growing up can be complicated. Here are some tips to help your child acclimate to the new school year and make the transition from vacation as smooth as possible.

1. Talk through your feelings.❤️‍🩹

Ask your child for their input on starting the new school year. Are they nervous? Are they excited? Is there anything in particular that they are worried about? Let them air out their concerns in a safe place. This will help them process their feelings in advance. Once all of the possible issues have been talked through, you can start thinking about offering solutions, in addition to providing reassurance.

2. Encourage curiosity🧩

Reinforce the idea that school is a place for learning new and interesting things instead of it being just an obligation. Ask your child about what they found the most fascinating to learn. If you shared any interesting experiences over the summer, like travel, reading books, or cultural visits, connect them to subjects that are likely to be taught in school. For example, a visit to a botanical garden can prompt a conversation about natural sciences.

3. Be present and supportive🤗

Check in with your child after each school day. Ask them how it went, what they learned, if they made friends, if they liked the teachers. Share a meal together or go on a walk to maintain a healthy connection between you. Make it a part of your daily routine. Give them small reminders of your support by adding notes to their lunchboxes, for example. Insist on the fact that no matter what happens at school, they can always turn to you.

4. Talk through managing expectations🙇‍♀️

A lot of children can be stressed about getting good grades or making new friends. Let them know that your love and support is not conditional on their grades or behaviour at school. Provide them with an alternate social circle where they can make friends outside of school. Explain to them that it is okay to want one thing from the school year and have it turn out differently.

5. Celebrate the wins🏆

Even the smallest bit of progress is still progress. Has your child made a new friend? Did they ace a test? Or maybe they just solved a complicated math problem by themselves? Celebrate these moments, perhaps reward them with a treat or an outing.

6. Set up morale boosters📅

Set aside time for your child to engage in pleasant activities that have nothing to do with school, like sleeping over at a friend’s house or participating in a family movie night. Let them have some free time to just relax. Leaving some unstructured time in the busy school week will help your child unwind and feel more in control of their time, as well as leave them something to look forward to during challenging moments.

7. Make organisation a priority👔

Chaos and disorganisation in the morning before school only adds on to the child’s stress levels. Prepare for the next school day the night before. Set aside clothes and ingredients for lunch, talk with your child about your plans for the following day so that they know what to expect. Routine and predictability go a long way to reduce unnecessary strain on the child’s brain.

8. Don’t ambush your child with questions about school❓

Even the most benign questions about their progress at school can be perceived as criticism or nagging by a child. Don’t ask them about their grades or if they have completed all of their assignments as soon as they return home. Instead, set aside time to talk through any issues they may be experiencing. Let them come to you with any issues they may be experiencing.

9. Leave breathing room for failing and trying again🎯

Failure is not a finality, but an essential part of the learning process. Teach your child how to deal with failure in healthy ways: for example, show them how to ask questions such as “What can I do better next time?”. Additionally, empower them to take care of their own needs: let them decide when and how to ask for help, or how to organise their studies.

10. Take care of yourself🧘‍♀️

Make sure that you aren’t taking on more than you can manage, and ask for help from your entourage and your peers. Children are highly sensitive to the stress levels of the adults in their lives, so make sure that your own needs are being met before trying to exhaust yourself helping your kid.

What are your tips for managing the new school year? Let us know in the comments.💬