Every child faces a few challenges when heading back to school. Uneasy feelings are absolutely normal and expected during times of transition and change. The biggest challenge is getting school back on the mind of your child and getting them back into a routine. Basically, you need to retrain their brain.

Here are some of the top back to school tips for parents

Reset sleep patterns

During the holiday season most children get into a completely different sleep routine, often going to bed a lot later than they would on a school night. It’s important that your child gets back into an appropriate sleeping pattern.

Seven to ten days before the first day of school, it's a good idea to start the process of regular sleep again. The idea is to get your child out of the habit of going to bed late and waking up late. After all, you want them to be well rested and performing at their full capacity when they back in the classroom.

Focus on the positive aspects

There are many things that your child is probably anticipating going back to school. Who will their new teacher be? Will some of their friends be in the same class? Who will they eat lunch with? Will they understand the new school work? Will they fit in?

You should try to encourage your child to redirect their attention away from the worries and focus on the positives. For example, a new school term means a fresh new start. Ask them about what excites them most about going back to school? What subject they’re looking most forward to.

Most children can think of something good, even if it’s just something simple like eating their favourite snack each day or an after school activity.

Set academic goals

Establishing well-defined goals is a great way to motivate your child to perform to the best of their ability. Work together with your child to determine areas that they could improve and then help them to put strategies in place to achieve these goals.

You could even go as far as to set up a rewards system. For instance, tell your child that if they achieve a certain grade, you will take them on a trip to one of their favorite places or buy them something that they really want.

Identify priorities

As a parent you already know how busy the school term is. It’s not just the schoolwork. It’s language classes, football practices, other sports and extracurricular activities, homework, watching TV - the list is seemingly endless. This is why it’s so important that both you and your child have a clear idea on what should be at the top of the list of priorities.

Does academics or a certain sport top the list? Should homework be done before or after dinner? When can the TV go on? Routine is especially important for children, so it’s crucial that a clear set of rules are in place.

Connect with the teacher

Teachers matter, maybe a lot more than you might think. They get to know the child’s family through the eyes of the child, and they get to see how a child behaves without their parents present. This means that you as a parent can get all sorts of information of your child from the teacher, like academic achievements, areas that need improvement, close friendships, etc.

Teachers are your allies and it’s a great way for you to learn more about how you can support your child. If there’s any areas of particular concern, the teacher can let you know. That’s why it’s important that you keep in regular communication with your child's teacher.

Look after the basics

Nobody copes well when they’re hungry or tired. Once school starts again, it’s time to reset the eating habits. Your child needs to maintain a high level of energy throughout the day. Again, it’s all about routine. But, it’s also about ensuring that they are getting the right nutrients. Make sure that there are sufficient portions of fruit and vegetables in the diet.

As parents, these are just a few of the very simple but essential tips that we can use to really support our children in the back-to-school process. It’s all about implementing a routine and being consistent in your endeavours.