Like a number of events in life, we know it’s coming…but we remain resolutely unprepared. At least, many of us do. But with a little foresight and careful planning, you can take the stress out of many events, and ensure everything goes as smoothly as it can.

Our expert advisors for today’s article, Swiss International School Dubai, prepare their students to cope with everything life may throw at them; ensuring they leave school with a global outlook and the skills to forge a successful career and life in the world.

But success is nothing without preparation. And as the new school term looms – it’s really not that far away for those of us with a forward-looking mindset – now is the time to start planning your children’s return to school. Below are some key tips for a smooth transition:

Anxiety  – Top of the agenda is to be prepared for anxiety. A lot of our children are returning to school after a long time, thanks to the pandemic, and we, as responsible parents, must be empathetic to the fact that while they’re keen to get their knees back under the classroom desk, many of our offspring will be suffering with anxiety – brought on by fear of the new, pandemic fears (like proximity to others), and of course, social anxiety brought on by the simple fact of being ‘out of practice.’ None of us have had a ‘normal’ existence over the last 18 months, so it’s clearly going to have an effect on our children.

How to get round it? Just be reassuring, remind them the start of a new term can always be a worrying time, but that they’ve done it before and survived! Routine, structure and stability help us all, of course, and that goes doubly for the children.

Simply listening to your child’s fears can also go a long way to assuage their concerns.

Speak to your childs teacher – You could share your summer and lockdown experiences with your child’s educator. That way, they might have more empathy for, and understanding of, how your child behaves over the first few days of term. And remember, having your children at home might have helped you learn a lot more about what calms them, what encourages them to learn, and what really engages their attention. Any teacher would appreciate hearing these tips.

Sleep – Our sleep patterns may have gone awry over the last year or so, so now’s the time to reintroduce a formal bedtime and good sleep hygiene. A regular bedtime and the right amount of good sleep works wonders for your child’s mental health and wellbeing, as well as their development.

Talk openly – Remind your child (and perhaps yourself) that school is a safe, secure and familiar environment. It’s a very connected community, and there’s certainly comfort in the routine of the school day.

What to expect – Again, a key part of preparation is to remind your child of everything they enjoy about school, and openly talking about when and why things will happen helps our children make better sense of things. It’s important to make sure they know what will happen, as much as possible, so there are no surprises. This will help them feel safe and secure. Try to talk to your children about what to expect, while also teaching them that it’s perfectly normal to feel anxious during times of change. 

And most importantly – prepare yourself. Your life and your home are about to become a whole lot quieter!

plan it