Transitioning Back to School

Transitions, such as from summer vacation back to school, can be a challenging time. I recall when I first moved back to Hawaii from the continent and almost a year in, I went to my primary care physician to ask for help. I was wondering if maybe something chemical was off with me. In his wisdom, he said, “Hmm, you and your family have gone through such a big transition in moving to Hawaii. Maybe you are still transitioning and need to give yourself more grace.” I scoffed; I had moved BACK to Hawaii! It had been almost a year! In retrospect, however, my doctor was completely right.

I talk about transitions every year with 1-4th graders, but I think it’s a concept the 3/4 students better understand. We talk about how it’s completely normal to have an array of feelings, from excitement to sadness - and simultaneously. We also mention not only our emotions, but also our physical bodies needing to adjust too, possibly to earlier bedtimes and wake times and having higher step counts (or lower!) than we did in the summer. We also briefly review some healthy coping strategies — including needing to go to bed earlier than we think and pausing to remember what we are thankful for at school. (I quote the students: “Friends! Teachers! Recess! Math! Reading! Art Club!”)

I have written entire blogs about the topic of sleep, as sleep is so important for humans. Thankfully our American society has finally begun to recognize the value of sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 6-12 sleep 9-12 hours a night. Children who are tired get angrier and sadder faster and have less patience, creating issues with friends. They also have a harder time focusing, having self-control, and producing their best work, even appearing to have learning challenges when they simply need more sleep. If your child has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, please consult your pediatrician for an examination or ideas (Do they need even more unstructured exercise? Remember that activities like baseball practice might sound like exercise but may not include as much hard running/workout as assumed). I know personally that it can be very challenging, but sleep is so important, like adequate food and water.

Students asked me when vacation is in response to answering my question of “What are you looking forward to?" Having something to look forward to is another healthy coping strategy during times of transition. Thus, I wanted to share this idea families could do together: keep a paper calendar. I realize hard copies of calendars are a dying breed, and there are many benefits of a shared Google calendar on your phones, but children benefit from seeing a nebulous concept such as “time” laid out in mathematical squares and patterns in front of them. The calendar could be a 99-cent one from Longs; just choose one with squares big enough to write in. I believe keeping a calendar helps children with executive function and planning, where they can see what is coming up and even help plan for a family member’s birthday. Or they can count the months until vacation — the opportunity to anticipate events also has proven psychological benefits. A paper calendar may even ease anxiety, which seems prevalent in these Generations Z and Alpha, again because they can see what is coming and know more about what to expect. You could also use it to reassure them about the future by looking at the past and recalling the fun times spent together. As a teacher, I always write the schedule on the board because children/humans feel reassured when they know what to expect.

I pray you give yourself grace as you and your children transition back to school!

P.S. Yes, there will be unexpected events outside of our control — in class we may have an unexpected fire drill, or run into technical difficulties. Surprises provide opportunities for other valuable lessons, however, and is a topic for another time!