Whether your little one is returning to school or starting school for the first time – it is a monumental shift post the freedom of the summer holidays!
Laura, Debutots franchisee in Leeds, shares her back to school tips and most importantly her emotional and wellbeing checklist as her little girl returns to school to start Year 1…
“A few weeks ago I woke up with a flutter of excitement in my tummy which Iād not felt for quite some time. I couldnāt put my finger on what it was at first but then, as my not so little 5 year old woke up, it dawned on me that we had a day to ourselves with no plans. Just us two, with nothing (or everything) to do. That was it. I had a rush of nostalgia from those lovely feelings of bonding I had during maternity leave. Just me and my girl having a day for us to do with what we please.Ā
In between maternity leave ending and my daughter starting school, we still had lots of time together including family holidays, weekend days outs etc but, it was the freedom of having a whole six weeks ahead of us with no school and no expectations that reminded me of that maternity leave bubble we once had. Iāve been so grateful that Debutots came along for me when it did and allowed for this flexibility to happen as my daughter goes on her school journey.
Fast forward 6 weeks and here we are planning for a return to term time and āBack To Schoolā for both of us. Thereās plenty of check lists around for getting organised from a practical point of view such as:
- Uniform
- Pumps
- Name labels
- Book Bags
- PE kit
- Water bottleā¦
It goes on and on doesnāt it? But what about the emotional and wellbeing checklist to get you from that lovely family bubble into the school/work rhythm that makes life tick along? Hereās a few suggestions to ease that transition back into routine:
- De-stress Mornings: For me mornings are super stressful and full of distractions that can suddenly make the slickest of regimes go off the rails. My New (Academic) Year resolution is to create time in the morning by doing whatever can be done the night before. Sounds obvious doesnāt it but Iām sure 10 minutes the night before buys you 20 minutes in the morning!
- Start the day on a positive note together. A few years ago I was given a daily affirmation calendar as a gift. It sits on my desk and I flip it over every day. It gives me a little boost and my daughter wanted to join in one day and now loves doing it too. Weāve since bought some āHappiness Cardsā for children and she enjoys choosing her own and we read our positive messages together to start our day! It would be so easy and fun to make your own too and is a lovely little morning ritual.
- Befriend Google Maps. Iām sure the traffic triples from the first Monday in September. Honestly where do all the extra cars come from? New school starters, new morning routines can put pressure on your usual commute if you need to drive, so use Google Maps to check the traffic situation before leaving the house and set off earlier if you need (using those spare minutes from prepping the night before). It really helps to keep me calmer if I know itās going to be a tricky journey ahead of setting off rather than just getting stuck in it without warning.
- Timetable some fun! Those first few weeks of the term can be tiring and pretty full on. Make sure you create an opportunity to do something fun together where you can. Whether itās a detour to the park on the way home, making up a silly song about your day at bed time, or making a funny face with the vegetables at dinner, pockets of fun throughout the week can make the long days shorter and the weekends closer.
- Ask for help. Embrace the school WhatsApp groups, ask the silly questions, talk at the school gates and find the help you need. Something Iāve struggled with over the years is asking for help, but help is always there, thereās no shame in putting your hand up. Itās a skill we should teach our little ones too, they should see itās ok to ask for help when we need it and offer help to others too. Itās part and parcel of everyday life and you donāt need to struggle.
- Share your daily wins. Finish your day talking about what went well together. Was it finding the perfect parking spot? Seeing their cheeky face through the window at after school club? Was theirs, their favourite lunch on the menu or making mud pies in Forest school? Gratitude promotes those happy hormones in our brains and if your little one does have any worries about school, talking about what went well that day can help your little ones focus on the positives, even littlest of wins deserve celebrating.Ā “
All that’s left to say is have a great school year and we hope to see you and your little one soon!
