How to Prepare Your Children For Their Return to School

With not long to got until schools re-open, it's time to start thinking about those long-forgotten routines!

The school holidays can be a rollercoaster of juggling responsibilities, working from home, and - let's face it - too much screen time. But whether you're looking forward to the more structured days that term time provides, or you're dreading those early morning school-runs, change of any kind can be unsettling for parents and children alike.

Worry can sneak up on us in the middle of the night. We might fall asleep OK, but wake up in the early hours with our thoughts churning.

So what can you do this week to ease back-to-school nervousness?

1. Transition the household back into the school routine now

This tip comes from our resident Sleep Expert - Dr Sophie Bostock:

Over the next few days, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier each day. Keep tweaking that wake up time slowly until you hit that all important school wake up time. Then try and stick with it, even at the weekend. This is especially important for teenagers, who are natural night owls. If you, or they, are struggling to get going in the morning, get plenty of bright light, eat some breakfast and go for a short walk;  light, food and movement all send a wake up call to the brain.

2. Get your worries out in the open, but not right before bed

Dr Sophie Bostock also advises that the process of writing down what is worrying you can be therapeutic. Our sleep expert advises us to set aside 20 minutes in the afternoon or early evening to brainstorm what’s been keeping you awake. You can try this with older kids too. If it’s in your control, then make an action plan to do something to address it – so for example, if you’ve lost track of the school uniform, great, that’s something you can resolve. If it’s not in your control, acknowledge the worry, but let it go. Try to avoid conversations about worries before bed – instead, focus on what made you happy that day, or things you’re looking forward to in the future.

3. If you’re a bit stressed, winding down before you get into bed becomes even more important

Dr Sophie Bostock tells us that research shows that kids who have a set bedtime routine, when you do the same things in the same order – such as bath, book, cuddle, lights out - tend to have more and better quality sleep than those without a set routine. Predictability and familiarity will help to calm the anxious mind, and improve your readiness for sleep. This works for adults, as well as their kids!

4. Try the five finger breathing exercise to calm the mind

This five finger breathing exercise is recommended by Sleep Expert Dr Sophie Bostock. If you would like a shortcut to easing worries when you’re getting into bed, the 5 finger breathing technique is a great way to slow the breath, calm the heart rate, and focus the mind using gentle touch.

During the exercise, focus on breathing in through the nose, as if you’re smelling a beautiful rose, and sighing out through the mouth.

Spread out the fingers of 1 hand like a starfish.

Take the index finger of the other hand, and rest it at the base of the thumb. As you trace up towards the tip of the thumb, breathe in, pause as you round the top, and then breathe out slowly as you trace to the base of the finger.

Take another deep breathe in through the nose as you slide up, pause, and breathe all the way out as you slide down.

Breathe in, pause, and breathe all the way out.

Breathe in, and out.

And notice how much calmer you feel.

5. Reinstate morning routines

Mornings during the school holidays can be end up stretched into more of a midday wake up. But when it comes to school mornings, this is no good. 

Ahead of the back to school palaver, try to get the kids out of bed at a time that's closer to when they'd need to wake up on a usual school day. Then, work in a few of those daily elements to a before school routine including eating a healthy breakfast, having a morning shower and getting dressed in actual clothes, brushing teeth, and making beds. This helps to gently little ones that mornings need structure to run smoothly.

6. Practice the school-run

If you're worried about kick-starting the school-run again, remember: practice makes perfect. So, why not choose a morning to practice getting everyone up, dressed, and out of the house on time? Then walk, cycle, or drive to school in time for the bell as you usually would do. This practice run serves to ease your mind of those niggling worries that it's simply not possible.

7. Switch to healthier eating habits

Eating habits and sleep quality are linked. So, while it's been lovely treating the children to ice-creams and barbecues this summer, now is the time to switch back to healthier meals. Try to cut back on processed sugary snacks in favour of fruit, and pack healthy vegetables into mealtimes. And while we're on the subject of meal times, if those too have been a little erratic during the school holidays, it's a good idea to reinstate regular ones. This helps them to prepare for their in-school routines where lunchtimes and break times are regulated.

8. Make a back-to-school to-do list

Many children love lists. And this is especially true when they get to tick things off as they're completed. So, before school starts, sit down with your little ones and create a back-to-school to-do together. Some examples of what packing their bag, getting their uniform out and ready to put on, and making sure their school supplies are all in order.

By getting them involved in the planning and execution of back to school, children have the opportunity to get excited about their new, upcoming school year. 

9. Reduce screen time

For many households, the time our children spend on screens has increased during the school holidays. Now is the time to start reducing screen time.

Having too much screen time before bed can have a negative impact on sleep quality. So, try to set limits in the evenings and consider  working in some screen-free activities to fill the hours that were previously dedicated to screens. Reading a bedtime story together, or taking a gentle stroll are just two examples of activities that can help kids wind down before bedtime.

10. Maintain positivity

Many children are susceptible to our energy. This means that if you're panicking about returning to the routine, your little ones are likely panicking about the back to school routine too. To avoid this, try and stay positive. Keep the focus on all of the things your little ones love about school - their friends, playing at lunchtime, art, and PE are all examples of popular school aspects that children enjoy. 

Remember, reminding your little one about the positive experiences they'll have when the go back to school can help them to overcome any reluctance or worries they may have.