Vacation is over and we have to go back to our daily routines… This situation can result in a down, sad feeling, which experts call post-vacation blues. Even though it may seem like something only adults face, it can also affect the little ones in the house.
After three months of summer, they have to go back to school, with a strict schedule, extracurricular activities, homework… All of this can make kids feel sad, tired, apathetic, or even make it hard for them to sleep. Detecting post-vacation blues in kids can be difficult since they don’t understand what is going on, and because of this it is essential that parents are attentive and alert.
How to avoid the post-vacation blues?The best way to prevent kids from feeling like this, is for all family members to adapt to their new routine little by little a few weeks before kids have to go back to school. Here are some suggestions that will help you help them:
- Change of routine in a short amount of time is one of the things that can affect little ones the most. Because of this it is essential to establish a schedule before they go back to school so that they have time to adjust.
- It’s important to leave the vacation state of mind behind and to begin to establish routines that both parents and kids follow: eat dinner at the same time every night, bathe, go to bed…
- We have to be careful not to infect little ones with our pessimism about going back to work. We should reinforce the positives, like seeing our friends again or playing at recess.
- Don’t leave everything until the last minute. Start to get everything the kids will need to go back to school ready early.
- Finally, it is a good idea to go over the things they learned at school the year before so that they will feel more secure at the start of the new school year.
Returning to routine is difficult for everyone, but by following these suggestions, we can make sure that the down feeling doesn’t linger and become a bigger problem. Happy back to school season!