Helping Children Transition Back To School And Life After Lockdown

Information from Learning Links

Supporting children with the return to school and the eventual transition back to life after lockdown, without restrictions, is so important. The longer days, changed routine and structure of school are likely to impact some children more than others, causing stress and anxiety.

Here are some tips for keeping your children’s mental health in check, as well as your own.

Reassure your child about the transition back to school and the COVID-19 situation.

While the COVID-19 situation has dramatically improved, it’s natural for children to still have worries or feel uneasy about resuming some of the activities they can now go back to, particularly school.

• If your child has any ongoing concerns about the safety of school after time away due to COVID-19, reassure them that:
• The return to school is based on expert medical advice
• Everyone at school is working hard to ensure children and teachers are safe
• Children and teachers will stay at home if they’re feeling unwell
• If there are any risks with going to school, the government will make decisions about what needs to be done
• Give age-appropriate information about the ongoing COVID-19 situation and how it affects your family life, social life and school life
• Provide reassurance that it’s ok to have mixed emotions about going back to school – acknowledge that it’s completely normal for them to feel excited, scared, relieved, worried, or anxious, and that many of their peers may be feeling the same way
• Speak positively – by being an optimistic and supportive role model, you can help your child feel more confident about being back at school
• Get them excited about school again by putting something fun or interesting in their lunchbox, so they have a surprise to look forward to each day!

Reinforce routines and habits

While the constant changes make sticking to a routine tricky, it’s still so important to maintain some consistency at home. Here are some simple things you can try:

• Create a family schedule and go through it at the start of each week so everyone knows what to expect – it may be a good idea to have it on a whiteboard, so changes can easily be made as restrictions ease and more activities start up again
• Schedule dedicated family time – your child is sure to miss all the extra time they had with you while at home
• Keep morning and bedtime routines consistent, to help children get a good night’s rest
• Prepare your child for changes:
• Talk to your children about any new or different things that are happening (before they happen), so they understand and can then feel more comfortable
• If needed, use a social story to communicate changes (there are many available online for COVID-19 or you could make your own)
• Try not to make too many changes at once, particularly when social events and extracurricular activities start up again