Tips for Adjusting to Back to School in Fall 2022
Your child is going back to school in Fall 2022 most likely after having two very disrupted and unusual school years. Adjustment to returning to school in Fall 2022 will likely be more challenging than other years. Parents are exhausted from frequent school closures in past years and kids can’t depend on school’s predictability the way they once did. To help your child adjust to returning to school in Fall 2022, read these tips:
Expect the unexpected
It’s always a good idea to read over the school’s guidelines before returning to school. You’ll likely receive a school supply list and maybe some updated guidelines for managing illness and COVID. If there are age appropriate details you can share with your children, it’s great to do that before school starts. But if the last two years have taught us anything, we need to expect the unexpected! While we all hope school closures will decrease and illness will be less of a worry, we can’t expect this school year to look exactly like pre-2020 school years.
Prepare for intense emotions around weeks three to four of school
The first week or two back to school are usually exciting and relatively easy academically. Your child is adjusting to new classmates and a new teacher. Teachers generally take it slow in the beginning as they re-establish routines. By week three and four, the academics usually are ramping up just as the first peer and social conflicts begin to develop. If your child is returning from school weepy and emotional, know that this is the scene in many households. Your child likely put a lot of effort into making a positive impression on the teacher and classmates and this can start to catch up to him or her by week three. It’s hard to maintain that level of composure and your child may return home more emotional than usual.
Review your back to school routines and expectations before day one
Go over your expected routine from morning to night with your child before school starts. Some parents opt to start to practice this in advance if their child has a particularly hard time adjusting to change. At the very least, make sure you talk to your child about what mornings will be like, what after school time will look like, and the things that need to be done before bedtime. If you are changing rules from the summertime about screens, chores, homework, or any other issue, you need to review those with your child. Don’t assume your child remembers the routine and will jump right back in. In fact, it’s best to talk this over a few times and expect some forgetfulness and need for reminders.
Try some open ended questions for afterschool chat
If you want to get a real feel for your child’s school day, you know that “How was your day?” will be met with a boring response: “Fine.” Consider open ended questions like the following to really get some details about your child’s school experience. Who did you play with today? What did you learn at music class today? Tell me something silly/funny/exciting/boring about your day today. What’s your favorite thing about math class? If you were in charge of recess, what would you do? These open ended questions bring out more of your child’s inner world and help you get a better grasp of the school experience.
Do a grown-up emotional check in
How are you feeling about the return to school? Are you sad to see the summer end and wishing for a few more weeks with your little ones? Are you relieved that the long and boring days of summer are coming to an end and excited to see the kids start a new year? Are you anxious that the school closures and disruptions will make your work life hectic once again? Remember to be aware of your own emotions and share these feelings with a helpful adult in your life. Children are sponges for grown up feelings and will absorb whatever you don’t release in a safe, adult space. After you’ve set aside time and space to check in on your own emotions, you’ll be more available to help your child manage his or her emotions in the days to come.
Make memories, not more stress
Try not to worry too much about the perfect back to school outfit and chalkboard sign. Find a simple way to remember their first day of school without too much stress for the parents. If they aren’t smiling in the pictures or their shoes don’t match their shirt, remember that you’ll one day look back and cherish this little moment. By rolling with the chaos and allowing for imperfections, you are teaching your children how to manage transitions like this without too much negative self-talk!
The CDC has not yet released new guidelines for Fall 2022, but you can find current and updated guidelines here. You can also see other tips for the return to school here.
If your child continues to struggle with transitions despite your efforts for support, you might find that parenting counseling will provide you with the tools you need to set your child up for success! If your own anxiety about back to school is getting in the way, we’d love to help you with that too. Call us today for a free 15 minute phone consultation. To learn more about Parenting Therapy and how Skylands Wellness can help, click here.