We are on the cusp of the new school year, and leaving summer vacation behind can be a challenging transition for many families. Transitions are a naturally stressful part of life. Although we might always feel the strain of a big transition, there are things we can do to help our children cope, build resilience, and move through the back-to-school transition with self-compassion and openness.

Here are some tips to help transition into a new school year.

Create routines

Unstructured time is lovely, and summer is usually when routines are less of a priority. Kids struggle more often with transitions when they are abrupt. Start easing into a school routine a few weeks before school starts.

Get excited about school

Ask your children what they look forward to the most about the new school year. Get them excited by helping them establish new goals and core values for the new year—and help them create a vision board.

Tell your child a positive story about your school experience

If your child is experiencing anxiety about school. Tell them a story about when you had a school or social-related challenge and how you overcame it. Children need to hear that they are not alone in their experiences. It is also an excellent opportunity to bring some self-compassion and mindfulness skills.

Establish a back-to-school tradition or celebration

Many cultures incorporate rites of passage, rituals, or celebrations into their back-to-school routines. It can be as simple as taking a yearly 1st-day-of-school photo or including a special note in your child’s lunch, to a special celebration dinner or dessert. These rituals or celebrations give your child something to look forward to year after year.

Conclusion

The most important step is allowing the transition to unfold how it should. We often try to ignore, fight off, or speed up transitions, which keeps us resistant and stuck. Embrace and accept our time of transition. Within this space is ample opportunity to learn, grow, and become.

Have a happy school year!