Tag Archive for: back to school

Establishing a Smooth Transition from Home to School

, ,

By Lisa Glahn, MSW, LCSW – July 15, 2026 –

Returning to school after a break can be challenging for many children, especially after extended time away during summer or winter breaks. Typically, the longer students are out of their routine, the more challenging it can be to adjust to early mornings, structured schedules, and classroom expectations. Fortunately, there are several simple strategies parents and guardians can use to make this transition smoother and create a more positive start to each school day.

One of the most effective ways to support a successful return to school is by establishing a consistent morning routine. Predictable schedules help children feel prepared, reduce stress, and encourage independence. Creating a visual schedule with pictures or simple words can be especially helpful for younger children or those who benefit from visual reminders. As children practice the same routine each morning, they become more confident and develop healthy habits that make getting ready for school easier.

Waking up with enough time to prepare for the day is another important part of a successful morning. Oversleeping often leads to feeling rushed, which can increase stress for both children and parents. When mornings are hurried, children may skip breakfast, forget homework or school supplies, or arrive at school feeling anxious. Allowing extra time to wake up, eat a healthy breakfast, and get organized helps create a calm environment that sets the stage for a positive school day.

A special goodbye ritual can also make school drop-offs easier. Whether it is a hug, a high-five, a secret handshake, or a simple phrase shared each morning, a consistent goodbye routine provides reassurance and strengthens the connection between a child and their parent or guardian. These small moments can help children feel loved, supported, and ready to begin their day with confidence.

Talking with your child about the upcoming school day is another helpful strategy. Discussing what they can expect allows them to ask questions, voice concerns, and share any worries they may have. These conversations allow parents to offer encouragement and problem-solving while helping children feel more prepared for the day ahead.

Positive reinforcement can also encourage a smoother transition back to school. Simple reward systems, such as sticker charts or earning small privileges, can motivate children to complete their morning routine and enter the school building with confidence. Celebrating progress, even in small ways, reinforces positive behaviors and builds motivation over time.

For some children, bringing a comfort item can provide an added sense of security. Before sending an item to school, it is helpful to check with the teacher about classroom expectations. While stuffed animals or blankets may stay in the car, a family photo tucked into a backpack, folder, or locker can offer comfort throughout the day. Including these comforting items as part of the morning routine can help ease separation anxiety.

Finally, never underestimate the power of encouragement. Offering positive affirmations, praising your child’s efforts, and reminding them that you believe in their abilities can boost confidence and self-esteem. Even a short note tucked into a lunchbox or backpack can provide reassurance and brighten their day. With patience, consistency, and support, families can help children return to school feeling confident, prepared, and excited to learn.

Lisa Glahn, MSW, LCSW, is a Youth First Mental Health Professional at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Warrick County and St. Bernard Catholic School in Spencer County. Youth First, Inc., is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families. Youth First provides over 100 highly trained mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers), prevention programs, parent engagement coordinators, and bilingual support personnel to 130 schools across 14 Indiana counties. Over 55,000 youth and families each year are served by Youth First’s school-based social work and community programs that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit youthfirstinc.org or call 812-421-8336.

/by

Beat the Back-to-School Blues

, ,

By Breanna Dudley-Wissel, MSW, LSW – August 7, 2025 –

Sweet summertime. Longed for all school year and mourned when classes start in early August. We all feel it, right? Parents, school personnel, and kids often dread the end of summer.

While some parents may long for school to resume—and for rowdy kids to be back in a routine—the end of those carefree summer days can evoke strong emotions. Educators and students often feel it too, as summer passes in a blink. This article shares more about what the “back-to-school blues” can look like and how to help yourself and your child get past them.

Parents experience everything from relief to frustration to worry. Some parents feel relieved that their child is heading back to school and getting back into a structured routine, but it may also feel bittersweet that their child is growing up, maturing, and moving forward in all areas of life. Some feel frustrated when their child struggles with adjusting to the school routine. Other parents may be worried because their child is having a difficult time with separation anxiety.  

School personnel also experience a range of emotions. They can be eager to decorate their classrooms and reconnect with co-workers they haven’t seen all summer. They may be excited to meet new students and build relationships with them, or maybe anxious and worried about what the coming school year may bring. Teachers may wonder whether their classroom will be well-behaved or difficult to control.  

For some students, the start of the school year may bring sadness. They may feel sad that summer is over, days are shorter, and pools are closing. They may feel sad because their extra time at home, whether it was spent with family, at summer camp, or just sleeping in, is coming to an end. Some may be anxious about meeting their new teacher and worried about who will be in their class. If they are moving to a new school, students may be concerned about what the schedule will be and how to find their classroom. Older students could be experiencing anxiety over figuring out how to work their locker’s combination lock or getting from one class to another before the bell rings.  

All of these feelings are completely normal, so if you or your child experiences them, just know that it is okay! Validate yourself and your child. Reassure yourself and them that everything will be fine and everyone will feel better once the new routine is in place.  

There are some things you can do to help with the adjustment back to school:

  1. Restart a bedtime routine a couple of weeks before school starts. This can also include waking them up at the time they would need to get up to get ready for school.
  2. Attend back-to-school night to help ease your child’s anxiety about finding their classroom and meeting their teacher and classmates. This is also an opportunity for older kids to practice unlocking their combination lock, and you can help them map out a route to get from one class to another. 
     
  3. If your child does not want to get on the bus or out of the car and is experiencing separation anxiety, reassure them that you love them and that you will see them after school. (You could also write a note they can stick in their locker to remind them.)
  1. Help them focus on the positive aspects of their day by asking them what they like about school and what fun memories they made that day. Help them take deep breaths and give them some extra hugs if they need it.  

/by

Getting Back in a School Routine

, ,

By Christine Weinzapfel-Hayden, MSW, LCSW – August 7, 2024 –

I don’t know about you, but to me it feels like the first day of summer break was just last week. How can it possibly be time to start setting those alarm clocks again?

If your family has fallen out of the school year routine, there is good news: I have four tips to make getting out the door for school a little easier. 

First and foremost, do not underestimate the importance of having a healthy sleep routine. Getting your kids (and possibly even yourself) back into a nightly schedule should be the top priority. Setting a routine will help sleep come faster to those who struggle. According to Calm.com, the best practice for a good night’s sleep is putting electronics down at least an hour before bedtime. Screen time before bed has been linked to overstimulation of the brain and can increase anxiety and depression symptoms.

Second, consistency is important. A nighttime routine can look different for every family, but for young children it should be something along the lines of eating dinner, bathing, brushing teeth, reading, and heading to bed. If your child is a visual learner, post the routine in pictures or words (depending on the age of your child) so they have a visual understanding of where they are in their routine each day. 

Third, know the plan each week. Spend part of your Saturday or Sunday looking at the week ahead and discussing as a family what everyone’s needs are and what may need adjustment. My family loves to utilize a large dry-erase calendar that hosts everything, from who is eating school lunch on which days to which practices each child needs to attend. We make sure to add extra events that may have come up and any appointments. This method works well for our family, because it not only allows us to set up a monthly/weekly schedule but also allows us to plan for anything extra that might pop up. 

Finally, do as much as you can today to prepare for tomorrow. Before going to bed each night make sure lunches are packed, backpacks have all necessary supplies, and outfits for the next day are ready to go. This takes the panic and rush out of the morning routine. If your kids are old enough, have them learn responsibility by taking part in planning activities. They can pack their lunches under your guidance, lay out their outfit based on what activities they have planned the next day, and make sure all of their needed supplies have made it back into their backpack for tomorrow. 

The first day of the new school year can sneak up on us. That doesn’t mean it has to be hurried and stressful for your family. By setting a schedule and planning ahead, you can help guarantee your back-to-school season goes smoothly.

/by

Getting Back into the Groove of School

,

 

By Christine Weinzapfel-Hayden, LCSW – July 29, 2022 –

I know you feel it. The new school year is looming. A new school year always comes with a variety of emotions, excitement, nervousness, and dread (Looking at you, common-core math…). One of the hardest things about starting a new school year is settling kids into their school year routine. It seems like it takes 30 seconds to adjust to a lack of routine, but weeks to get back into a structured schedule. 

Don’t start the night before school starts and expect to have a successful transition back into routine. The best strategy is to start early. Give yourself three weeks of slowly moving back into routine. Make bedtime a little earlier each night and wake up a little earlier each morning. One week before school starts, consistently have them go to bed at their school year bedtime and wake them up like you would for school in the morning. This will help deter some arguments about earlier bedtimes and help them be prepared for those early mornings when school starts. 

It is good to remember that every kid is different, but they all need a healthy amount of sleep. According to Cleveland Clinic, kids ages 5-12 need 9-12 hours of sleep a night, and teens 13-18 should sleep close to 10 hours per night. Making sure you have a consistent bedtime routine can help your child’s body recognize that it is time to settle down and prepare for sleep. This is even true for your older children. 

If you feel like your family is always running around in circles in the morning, preparing for your day the night before can be a huge help. Laying out outfits for the next day takes decision making out of your morning routine. Make sure you check their school calendar, so those pesky spirit days do not sneak up on you. 

I love the use of a calendar in our kitchen for many reasons. Our district doesn’t send home paper copies, so I write all necessary school events on that and check it each evening before bed. This includes whether my child will need a packed lunch. If you have a picky eater like me, chances are you’re packing a lunch. Depending on the age of your child, this is a fantastic opportunity to help them develop independence by asking them to assist with packing their lunch each night.  

The school year can be stressful. The number of events and expectations can be exhausting. Creating a realistic evening and morning routine can be a huge help. Make sure you’re working smarter, not harder, when it comes to routines at home. 

/by