Back to school is imminent. There is hardly any time left to enjoy the last days of vacation and start warming up to return to class with friends. For many children, this implies a big change that generates a little tension. This is what is known as “post-holiday stress” and usually lasts for several weeks. In fact, it is normal that in the week before the start of classes and during the first days of school, children are tired, apathetic, sad, irritable, anxious and inattentive.

Fortunately, this is a temporary situation that usually goes away once the child adapts back to his school routine. However, there are also some strategies that you can implement at home to motivate your child to return to school and make this experience less “traumatic”.

Five tricks so that back to school is a motivating experience

1. Show positivity about their return to school

You may also be going through a period of post-holiday stress due to having to go back to work, but don’t show it to your child because it will “infect” them. Instead , show a positive attitude about his return to school. Talk to him about going back to school, his expectations, fears, concerns and wishes, this will help him feel more secure and confident. Tell him about the advantages of going back to school and encourage him to go back to his old routine.

2. Adapt your schedule gradually

Sudden schedule changes are difficult for everyone, but especially for children. It is not easy to return to previous habits that required having to get up and go to bed earlier, so it is convenient that one or two weeks before your return to school you start modifying your routine. Make him go earlier to bed and don’t let him sleep so much in the morning. You should also control their television schedules, internet and mobile use. In this way, it will be easier for the child to return to his school routine.

3. Let him prepare the school supplies

This is a very simple and effective strategy for the child to be aware that he must start the new school year. In addition, in this way you will be motivating him to return to school. You can take him to buy books and notebooks or let him prepare his backpack and organize his lunch box. detail that makes you excited and motivates you.

4. Have fun during the last and first days of school

Even if the school routine is about to start or has already started, it is not convenient for you to leave recreational activities aside suddenly. Keep in mind that it is an adaptation process and sudden changes are not positive. Therefore , try to alleviate the tension of going back to school by taking your child on excursions during the weekends. It is also not advisable to drastically reduce the time of games and television, but little by little. This way the child will not feel too pressured by his new school routine.

5. Meet some friends from class or take him to visit the school

Before classes start, it is important that your child becomes familiar with his old school and classmates. Therefore, a good idea is to contact some of those classmates, preferably the closest ones, to organize a meeting in which they can remember funny anecdotes from school, games and common tastes. You can also take him to visit his school, so he can remember his routine, and ask him to tell you about something nice that happened to him between those walls.