How To Help Your Child With Their Transition Back To School

March 11, 2021

• Advice for Parents

In a year like no other, one aspect of children’s lives which may well prove to be an additional obstacle is the transition back to school and semi-normality after such a long period of disruption. We have received a few questions from parents about the best way to do this and we therefore thought we would share our thoughts in this blog. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch directly if you would like more specific or personalised advice.

Reintroduce routine

This first point is perhaps one of the most important. One thing many of us have struggled with through these periods of lockdown is maintaining a sense of daily or weekly routine in our lives. This is undoubtedly true for your children too. No bus to school, lunch with friends, break time outdoors or school uniform. We would therefore suggest that if these aspects of daily life have (understandably!) begun to disappear whilst working from home, try and reintroduce them gradually before a return to in-person education.

Make sure your children are up to date on school work

Another thing which will make a big difference is if your children feel academically confident returning to school. This is obviously not achievable in all circumstances, and they are not expected to be exam-ready upon their return. However, simply being up to date on homework and note-taking can make a big difference to their confidence and therefore their ability to thrive upon returning.

Be honest with children about how school may look different

No matter how young your child is, honesty about the ways in which school may look and feel different can make them feel more secure. This is a highly unsettling time for children of any age, and being prepared for teachers wearing masks or socially distanced classrooms may help them feel more settled more quickly upon their return.

Explain to them that returning to school is a good thing

One of the more unexpected reactions to working from home is that some children have become truly accustomed to it, and are comfortable in the rhythm of this new way of working and learning. This can be particularly problematic for younger children who are now very used to being at home and have spent little time at school prior to the pandemic. We would therefore suggest that parents try to emphasise to their children that a return to school is a very good thing, and that they are safe and able to flourish better there.

It’s ok to make mistakes!

It is essential that children know that it is ok to find the transition back to school tricky. They are not used being around their peers at the moment and are not used to learning in a classroom environment. This means that it may take a little longer than usual to get back into the rhythm of things, and it is important that children know that this is ok!

We are all hoping that a return to school can happen as soon as possible. In the meantime, hang in there, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you think we may be able to help or advise in any way.