Back To School After The Holidays: Tips To Prepare Your Child

The school break is over and it’s time to go back to school!

But, is your child ready for the term ahead?
After a long vacation, children can find it difficult to get back into the school routine.

Picking up on activities and routines such as waking up early, packing bags, preparing for classes and doing homework may cause unnecessary unhappiness. Hence, it is crucial to get your child mentally and academically ready for the term ahead.

Here are some tips from the I Can Read Team to help your child to ease into the transition back to the classroom and to help prepare them for the new school year. 

Approach it in the best way for your child

Although many parents make going back to school fun and relatable, some children still worry about the first day and the new term. Not every child will relish the thought of going back to school. 

If this is the case, then keeping processes like counting down to the new school year, purchasing of books and even new sets of uniform can be done with less flair.  

Parents usually know their own child’s personality and will intrinsically understand whether speaking about returning to school is exciting for them or if it fills them with panic. It’s better to get a sense of your child’s mindset and hype them up for the new year positively in exciting ways to get them ready.

Keeping it positive and relatable should be the main approach in helping your child get back to school eagerly.

Get Organised

Before the school year starts, try to ensure you have everything your child will need for school.
School supplies, books, pencils and anything else that is required should be prepared in advance. 

This process should ideally be done with your child so as to prepare them for what is to come.
Allowing them to select some of the items for school like their stationery, their school bags and even their water bottles can also be a great way to bring them on board. 

Children usually love picking out new school supplies and it will help them get excited about going back to school and bringing things they chose for themselves. 

Talk About It

Starting in a new school, tuition centre or even moving up a class can be a big adjustment for your child. Keep the lines of communication open and listening to your child will make life a lot easier for the both of you. 

Such conversations should be carried out to encourage your child to understand the changes the new year will bring to them, what they can expect and even what they will encounter in their new environment. 

Before classes start, talk to them and ask them how they are feeling. Assuring them that the new year will be positive and enjoyable will help them to be more open to the experience. It will also allow them to discuss their uncertainties with you, which you can easily clarify and provide assurance for. Remember: Communication is key.

Staying active can help your child better focus on homework and relieve any stresses they may have in a day.

While school is naturally a more indoor and classroom centric environment, it is encouraged that parents attempt to balance your child’s school days with some form of physical activity. Making exercise part of their daily schedule will help them release any pent-up emotions and thoughts they may have had for the day at school. 

Going to the park or riding a bike while getting the whole family involved are simple yet effective ways of helping your child feel more receptive and adapt better to the daily rigours of school. Staying active can help your child better focus better on homework and relieve any stresses they may have in a day.

Get Rest

Waking up early for school again can be difficult to adapt to, especially if they have enjoyed a long holiday of late movie nights and flexible sleeping hours over the holidays. 

Re-establishing a regular bedtime closer to the start of the school year can help your child realign themselves to the idea of returning to school while ensuring that they get sufficient rest to wake up refreshed in the morning. 

It’s widely encouraged that children get a minimum of 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep during the night to have them do better the next day. 

That’s all from us at I Can Read! We wish you and your child the best of luck and a hearty congratulations on starting another school year! 

If you are looking for a bit of a headstart in building a strong foundation in English, it’s never too early or late to start with us. Check out all our courses here, and we will see you next year!