Steps to Prepare Children for Going Back to School
Here is a collection of the most important steps to help prepare children for going back to school:
- Talk to your child about going back to school and listen with empathy to any worries on their mind. It’s important that they express themselves and their concerns to let go of negative thoughts about school. Help by asking questions and giving them space to find their own solutions. Your goal is not to solve the issues, but to allow them to express themselves and problem-solve independently.
- Take your child on a visit to the school so it feels familiar. If they’re returning to the same school, just visit the new classroom to get to know it.
- Create a positive emotional connection between your child and the teachers. For example, introduce them to a teacher and tell them that she’ll be very happy to have such a smart and hardworking student. This emotional bond is a key step in preparing for school.
- Introduce your child to new classmates. If attending a new school, connect with other parents and arrange a visit. This eases any anxiety about returning to school.
- Start organizing your child’s sleep, wake-up times, meals, and other activities before school starts, so the new routine feels familiar and not sudden.
- Organize your child’s belongings and set up a schedule for studying and doing homework—especially if the child struggles with focus or has ADHD (Attention–deficit hyperactivity disorder). Don’t forget to allocate family time too.
- Accept your child’s anxiety—it’s a natural reaction to changing environments, like transitioning from one setting to another. This includes going back to school. Encourage them to practice a breathing meditation called “7–11” (inhale for 7 seconds, exhale for 11). It helps remove negative thoughts and works for kids and adults alike. We recommend downloading the Tawazon app to learn more about meditation and explore its variety of guided sessions and podcasts.
- Stimulate your child’s brain before school starts—ask them about math problems or grammar exercises. This will mentally prepare them to receive new information.
- Take your child to the store to buy school supplies, and let them pick their own items.
- The day before school starts, share all the positive and exciting things that will happen on the first day, using fun and enthusiastic language.
