The holidays are over, it’s time to put away your schoolbag and go back to school… But for some children, change can be more difficult to live with.
- For children who are anxious or lack freedom, the end of the holidays can be more difficult to manage than for others.
- It is important to maintain a certain routine during the holidays and to prepare the child for the return to school a few days before the start of the school year.
If the holidays are an opportunity to sleep more, or to spend more time with family, the return to school can sometimes be difficult for some children who are anxious or lack freedom. To help them do not hesitate to anticipate.
How can we help them get back to school?
Even if the holidays are an opportunity to enjoy and relax, do not hesitate to keep a few steps in your usual routine to avoid the sudden change at the start of the school year. To do this, you can, for example, keep the bedtime routine, the meal or bath times so that your child keeps a certain rhythm.
Start planning a few days before the end of the holidays
To help him make a smoother transition, you can, for example, start making changes in the organization of your days a few days before the end of the holidays by inviting your child to get up and therefore go to bed earlier, or to get your things ready for the next day.
Also take the time to talk with him about his return to school and about school to help him plan for the events to come. You can also offer him a schedule with drawings that represent the morning routine to help him know what he has to do: breakfast, get dressed, brush his teeth…
Finally, when he has resumed, do not hesitate to extend certain holiday activities such as going to the park or playing a game together to help him gradually get back to his daily life.
Find out more: “My day at nursery school – From 2 years old” by Anne-Sophie Bost
