Surviving the "Back to School" Adjustment

Summer is a great time for kids (and teachers) to get a much needed break after a long school year. However, with the end of summer comes earlier bedtimes, stricter routines, and of course changes in schedules. While going back to school can be exciting for a lot of children, it can also bring up some less than desirable behaviors as they get reacquainted with all these changes. Here are some top things to remember when navigating the first few weeks of Back to School.

1. Remember home is often times their safe space. Where you see an increase in tantrums/meltdowns, it may actually be because they feel comfortable enough to do so around you. Sometimes we see that children will “hold it together” all day at school and then feel they can finally relax once they get home. You may also notice a significant increase in energy after they get home, which can also be a result from holding in all their movement during the day. In the first few weeks your child may need some extra TLC. This could be making their favorite meal for dinner one day each week, allowing for a few more minutes of free time after school before homework, maybe a board game to relax - even on a school night, or maybe just a few extra hugs and snuggles before bed.
2. Routines and strict schedules can be great for some but not all. While lots of children thrive on sameness, routine, and structure of the school schedule, others have a hard time handling such a “strict” schedule. This can especially be the case if they had a pretty lax summer without any real routine. Going from an easy going summer, to all of a sudden needing to go from Reading class to Science at exactly 9:10am can be quite an adjustment. If possible, provide your child some free time once they get home from school to allow for them to have a break from the structure. Especially while the weather is still somewhat nice, getting outside can be a great brain break before sitting down to do some homework.
3. Providing a “loose schedule” can help. While home doesn’t need to be as structured as school, providing kids with a “loose schedule” of their evening can help them navigate what their night times will look like. This could look something like this:
   • Come home from school and have free time for 30 minutes to an hour
   • Homework until dinner
   • Dinner
   • Shower/bath
   • Read a book before bed
   • Bedtime
   By keeping things consistent, children will come to know what the expectations are. There are certainly times where their night time routines can be different either because of sports, religious classes, a family member's birthday dinner, etc. because, well, that's life! But trying to be consistent even on a loose schedule can help provide some security in knowing what is going to happen and can make getting back into a routine easier. I do recommend that if there are going to be changes in their schedule/routine, that talking through those changes beforehand can also be beneficial, so the event is anticipated and expected.
4. Remember this is only temporary. Typically, we see children get back into a routine after about 3-5 weeks of being in school. By this time, children are again starting to navigate their days and nights a bit more independently since they know what to expect. If your child seems to be having a harder time than usual making this adjustment it may be helpful to schedule an appointment with either an Occupational Therapist or Psychotherapist in case there are other underlying issues that may be interfering.