The end of summer means going back to school, or starting school for the first time. Many kids have mixed feelings—excitement and maybe a little sadness that summer is over.
Parents, too, may feel the change in schedule a bit daunting.
Erin Fleming, mom to Katie, age three and Elizabeth, age seven, knows first hand the transition from summer freedom to a tighter schedule is not without challenges.
“One of the challenges for Katie is learning the new rules in the classroom, going to school five days a week, and learning how to separate from mommy. I love the Montessori school because the teachers are warm and caring and teach in a very positive manner (unconditional parenting, teaching through empathy first). They also really help the students learn individually and at their own rate,” Fleming said.
Katie will be starting preschool and is more than excited.
“I like that there are going to be lots of new things to play with in the classroom. I like the gecko—the class pet, and they have a fish too,” Katie said.
It’s important to remember that kids need time to adjust to the new routine. According to Scholastic, a resource for teachers and parents, it’s a good idea to decide on a game plan. Important things to discuss are homework, bedtime and how late friends can visit on school night.
“Challenges are mostly for the parents, especially working parents. Do they have everything they need? What types of things will I have to skip out of work early for,” said Amy Allison, mom to Yoko, age four.
“We just switched to Young Minds and they are so much more academic than our last preschool— which is great for Yoko. The themes they pick each month are woven seamlessly in to the full curriculum and the special field trips are lots of fun.”
Mia Talbot, mom to Yenenesh age ten and Demoze age six finds the transition easy and looks forward to getting back to a more defined schedule.
“Our summer was very short—only eight weeks this year, but it was packed with family adventures, birthday parties, backyard camping, soccer camp and new puppies,” Talbot said. “There was an activity almost every day and although we had a great time, it’s nice to get back into the school routine.
Kenneth Shore, a school psychologist for more than 25 years, stresses to parents that in time, most children will adjust to any new situation.
“For many children, their school is the center of not only their educational life but of their social and recreational life, as well. While beginning a new school year or school holds the promise of something new and different, children often are more worried than excited. Their jitters are natural and should be expected,” Shore said.
In the end, the most important tool you can use is to know your own child. Observe the situation, but also try to keep it all in perspective. For most kids, back-to-school jitters will melt away as easily as summer slips into fall.