Children back to school: tips

The Christmas holidays are over, it is a new year and the children are going back to school. Our tips:

End the holidays with a special day or a special dinner. Involve the children and let them help make this moment special. That way you consciously look back one more time on the lovely holiday you had. It makes it so much easier to understand that the holiday really is over now.

During the holidays, the rules for children all become a bit less important. Staying up late is part of that! In the last few days, bring bedtime back step by step to the normal time, so they slowly get used to it again. The start of a school week takes a lot of energy; they will need all the sleep they can get.

No more holidays and back to the normal routine: that takes some getting used to! Talk about it with your children and make up little stories about school. Try to let them imagine what is fun and what is less fun.

Make the subject of ‘school’ more fun by setting them a few pleasant goals. Try to focus on the good things about school: what do they want to learn? Which friends will they see again? And how big and clever they are getting!

Make a calendar showing how many more nights until school starts again. That gives your child clarity.

Don’t worry too much if they don’t settle back into the old routine straight away, but do make clear agreements. Is your child still wide awake in bed at 8 o’clock because it became 10 o’clock during the holidays? Then agree that your child doesn’t have to sleep, but does go to their room. That way your child can wind down, and eventually they will settle back into the old routine.

Not only your children but you too have to get used to the ‘normal’ routine again. Give yourself time and rest to ease back into the school rhythm.

Set the clocks at home 5 minutes fast. That makes it just a little easier for the children (and yourself!) to be on time.

We hope these tips help you with the transition back to ‘normal’ life.