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To help ease the transition, Danya Koplowitz, a high school teacher at TanenbaumCHAT in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½, suggests slowly reintroducing routine in the weeks approaching the start of school. 

“For a child that has a hard time with transitions or change, spending time preparing them is always a good idea,� said Koplowitz. “If you have small children, do a dry run of your morning drop-off routine by showing your child where they will be going and what the morning may look like.�

Adding habits one-by-one is also a more realistic approach than implementing an entirely new routine. “I am a big fan of habit stacking in my own life and I love to show my middle school-aged students how to do the same,� said Saroya. “The trick is to find something they do regularly, like brushing their teeth before bed, and add another habit, such as reading for 15 minutes, onto that.�

How much preparation and support each child needs is entirely individual, but ensuring proper sleep can make a big difference in how well they are able to handle the day-to-day. “Students are often extremely tired when they head back to school, and it can generally be traced back to them going to sleep far too late, paired with having to get up earlier,� said Amy Mullen, an alternative secondary school teacher in Lindsay, Ont.

If screen time has slowly crept up during the summer, try cutting back slowly in the two to three weeks before school starts, especially before bed. “For a lot of kids who are deeply attached to their devices, sleep is one of the biggest things to take a hit and this can profoundly affect their stamina, attitude and willingness to face challenges in school,� said Saroya.

While some parents feel pressure to continue with lessons or practice worksheets throughout the summer, the time off exists for a reason, said Mullen. “I would only suggest maintaining a consistent reading schedule, as literacy transcends through multiple subject areas, and is a simple activity to maintain, together or independently.�

“Let kids have time to be kids, outside of the four walls of the classroom,� said Koplowitz. “The school year is intense for everyone and sometimes we all need that space to regroup before heading back into the rigour of the year.�

That said, some kids can struggle with perseverance and a lack of stamina when they come back to school, said Saroya, noting that small challenges can help kids avoid becoming complacent during the summer months. “Finding something your child enjoys doing but that requires constant practice and improvement is ideal, whether this is a sport or hobby,� she said.

For young kids, even helping to write out the weekly grocery list will help to improve their stamina for writing tasks, said Saroya.

Once the school year is in full swing, schedule regular check-ins with your kids about how they are doing, and take inventory of any changes that need to be made. Everyone starts with the best of intentions, but it’s natural for things to slide once life gets busier.

“If your child has a lot of extra-curriculars, try setting up a schedule for homework like you would for their activities,� said Koplowitz. “Just like we set calendars for ourselves at work or for meetings, try and carve out time for what is necessary to ensure success.�

Regardless of how well your family has prepared for back to school, there are bound to be hurdles to overcome, but it’s all part of the transition. “As parents, we often forget that during the day kids are always ‘on’ and it’s when they come home that they can take off that mask. This can manifest for kids in so many different ways, from signs of exhaustion to acting out,� said Koplowitz. “We have to give them some grace and allow them time to get used to their new routines.�