As scholars head back to school, emotions are running high. Changes in routine, sitting and listening for longer periods of time, and anxiety about social interactions can be hard for scholars. Here are three ways you can support them during this transition:
1. Listen to all the ways scholars are communicating: We don’t always use our words to communicate, and neither do children. As scholars get back to the routines of a new school year, you may see positive or negative changes in their mood, behavior, and interests. These are all signs that your scholar might be trying to tell you something about their time at school. Here’s what you can do:
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- Ask your scholar to tell you one thing that happened at school that made them happy, one thing that made them sad or worried, and one thing that made them proud. This helps them understand that ALL of these feelings are normal and helps them talk to you about them.
- If your scholar’s mood or behavior is changing in a negative way, you can say: “I see that you are trying to tell me you are (mad/sad/scared). Can you tell me why?” Acknowledge the behavior and feeling your scholar is having while speaking in a calm voice and show them you are trying to understand.
- Head to the library and grab a book about big feelings or the first day or school. The librarian can help you find the right book. As you read this book, ask your scholar if they can connect to what the character is feeling.
- If you are concerned about your scholar, contact the school or teacher to tell them what you are noticing and ask if they are noticing this behavior in the classroom. You can even ask to watch a class one day to see how your scholar is doing there.
2. Try to make things at home predictable AND flexible: When there is a lot of change, children crave predictability. This helps them better understand their environment, stay calm, and prevents them from being surprised and reacting negatively to that surprise. You can add predictability by making a calendar together for the week. You can include things you need to do, meals you will cook, the book you will read each evening, and even bedtime routines. Talk to your scholar about how you can certainly make a plan together, but sometimes that plan has to change, so it is important to be flexible. This conversation and practice will build resiliency in your scholar when something outside of the routine happens at school.
3. Pray & read together: Remind your scholar that even when life feels new and scary and different, God is ALWAYS in control and his plan is ALWAYS for our good (even when his plan feels hard). Our plans may fail, but God’s plans will not, and it is a good thing because God loves us more than anyone else ever could. In fact, God has a great plan for the entire world, and a book like Indescribable: 100 Devotions about God and Science can help your scholar see all the ways in which God holds our world together beautifully. As you pray, ask your scholar to share their feelings with God. Remind them that He desires to hear their hearts, their hopes, and their dreams for this new school year.
