As the summer winds down and the days get shorter, parents and caregivers face the task of preparing their kids to go back to school. Children can express an incredible range of emotions in the weeks leading up to the new school year—everything from pure excitement to absolute anxiety. Drawing from her 35+ years of experience in the School District of Philadelphia as a teacher and school counselor, Penn GSE’s Linda Leibowitz, co-director of the Executive Program in School & Mental Health Counseling, has a few suggestions for parents and caregivers who are keen to smooth the transition from summer back to school for their kids.
“During the summer kids are often going to bed late, sleeping in, experiencing varying schedules, and eating lots of junk,” says Leibowitz. “The goal is to start thinking about a few key ways that parents, guardians, and kids can get back-to-school-ready.”
Her suggestions for easing the transition include approaching new routines one at a time so you’re easing into any changes, and taking a test run before day one.
Read more at Penn GSE.
