The Return to School: How to Prepare

More than enough anticipation surrounds the back-to-school season during a “regular” year, let alone during the year following a pandemic that brought unprecedented changes to the education system and the world. Here are four tips to help facilitate a smooth transition.

Create a routine
If you’re picking up a new routine, get started a few weeks ahead of the first day of school so that your kids are well adjusted prior to the first day.

• For bedtime changes or an earlier wake up time, make the shift gradually – by 5 or 10 minutes every few days.
• Pick out clothes the night before to reduce early-morning delays.
• Keep any morning responsibilities simple – make the bed, wash face, brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast.
• Be sure your day starts a few minutes ahead of the kids; taking some quiet time helps set the stage for an unhurried morning.
• Find a good morning playlist to help motivate the kids and keep spirits up. When the last song plays, it’s time to head out the door.
• Continue the routine after school, incorporating time for sports, homework, dinner, and relaxation.
• Trouble settling into bed? Spend a few minutes meditating or reading before turning off the lights.

Set expectations

It’s likely been a while since your kids have spent time inside a traditional classroom. Explaining what to expect will help reduce their anxiety about their new classroom. Help them understand what their school day will be like.

• How will drop-off / pick-up work?
• What is their class schedule?
• Who are their teachers?
• What’s the plan for lunch?
• What COVID restrictions should they be aware of?
• How will a classroom setting differ from virtual learning?
• What are some of the perks of being back in the classroom?

Give kids a chance to re-socialize
Socialization, like any skill, takes practice. Months of quarantine left time spent with anyone outside of our immediate family lacking. Being in a group setting again can be overstimulating for kids and may likely leave them a little uncertain of how to handle all of their emotions.  Give them a chance to spend time with friends in a fun, low-pressure environment and take advantage of opportunities to be out in public, whenever you can do so safely, to help your young ones re-acclimate to groups of people.

Make time to talk

Be a sounding board for your kids. Whether it’s in the car on your daily commute, around the dinner table, or during a few quiet minutes before bed, having a consistent and undistracted time for conversation is important. Open dialogue will help you identify issues sooner rather than later.