Switching from a holiday routine to a school routine

During the holidays, many families have a different routine than during the school year. You can gradually ease the transition from the holiday schedule to the school schedule. For example, start adjusting your child's sleep pattern during the last week of the holidays. Have your child go to bed a little earlier and get up a little earlier each day. This helps your child get into the school routine. You can also start looking at the school supplies your child needs.

What does your child enjoy?

The transition to school becomes easier if your child can continue doing things they enjoyed during the holidays. Did playing outside, for example, make them happy? Or did they enjoy reading a book? Or did you discover a sport that your child likes? Then see whether your child can continue doing that when the school year begins.

You can also try to maintain habits that worked well during the holidays. For example, a daily moment of relaxation or another habit that helps your child feel good.

What does your child miss about school?

To make returning to school go more smoothly, you can ask your child what they missed about school. Perhaps it is their friends, certain lessons or activities, or the structure that gives your child a sense of security. Look forward together with your child to enjoyable things to come, such as the school trip, learning to read in grade 3, joining the upper grades when your child moves into grade 6, or the musical in grade 8.

My child is repeating a year. What now?

Repeating a year is often a sensitive issue. If this is the case for your child, give them space to talk about it during the holidays. But also make sure that the holidays do not revolve entirely around repeating the year. Perhaps your child can get in touch in advance with other children they already know who are also repeating the year. This lowers the threshold for starting the new school year.

Changes in the new school year

The start of a new school year often brings changes, such as new class groupings, new children in the class, or a different teacher. The first days and weeks at school are important for forming groups and friendships. Therefore, here are the following tips:

  • Talk to your child about what they can expect. Especially if new children are joining the class, if there is a new class grouping, or if your child is moving to a different class.
  • Talk about the subjects that are different from last year and about the other children in the class.
  • Invite a classmate your child is already friends with, for example during the last week of the holidays.
  • Is your child going to a new school? Visit the school before the school year begins and try to meet the new classmates in advance. This often makes it a little less exciting for your child.

How can you encourage your child?

Talk to your child about what they do and do not want to do in the new school year. Perhaps your child wants to make new friends, pay better attention in class, or improve at something. Ask your child how they plan to do that and how you can help. This will boost your child's self-confidence and help them start the new school year enthusiastically.

What can you change at home?

At the start of the new school year, your child is also a year older at home. Depending on your child's age, you can agree on a new task together. For example, setting the table, emptying the dishwasher, or watering the plants. Choose something that suits your child. And enjoy the fact that your child can do new things again.

Source: Netherlands Youth Institute.