Kids are getting ready to head back to school and it’s very possible that they (and maybe even you) are experiencing nerves and anxiety over the new changes. Whether it’s returning to class after a long break or starting preschool for the first time, going back to school is a big transition for kids and parents alike.
There are some really simple tools you can put into practice to help you and your little ones successfully navigate this season together!
Foster Healthy Sleep Habits
Good rest (and good nutrition) is so important for students throughout the school year. Adequate amounts of nightly sleep are shown to help students do better in school. (We don’t need studies to show that any kid does better when they’re well rested though, right parents?)
The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends these sleep hours for young school aged kids:
- 3 to 5 year-olds: 10 to 13 hours (including naps)
- 6 to 12 year-olds: 9 to 12 hours
- 13 to 18 year-olds: 8 to 10 hours
The AAP also recommends avoiding screen time for at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Have Fun
It’s really easy to fill up our schedules with activities and hobbies and playdates and more. But sometimes, you need to take a step back and make sure you’re leaving time to connect with your little ones and have fun together. Constantly taking our kids along to new activities actually increases the transition anxiety when they have to keep moving from place to place and activity to activity.
Communicate to your kids that spending time with them is one of the best ways you as a parent can spend your time.
Prepare your kids for transitions.
Talking your kids through the transitions they will experience will help ease anxiety and prepare them for what’s coming up next. Letting them know how much time they have before school starts, letting them help making lunches ahead of time and talking through how the day will go goes a long way for helping little minds understand what’s ahead!
Spend time close together.
A lot of times, especially after school, we want to ask a lot of questions. But sometimes, our kids just want to connect with a hug, or a snuggle on the couch. When your time together is limited because of preschool or homework etc…sometimes the best thing you can do is soak up the moments you are together with snuggles, reading books, cooking together, and simply being together.
Our little sister brand, Tula, knows that the period that you babywear does not end when a child begins to walk. Safety, security, and connection are all intuitive needs from birth and continue to be important to you and your child throughout their lives. Children greatly benefit from having the option to be carried securely in a carrier so they created the Baby Tula Toddler Carrier to safely carry children 25-60 pounds and the Baby Tula Preschool Carrier to carry children 35-70 lbs.
Why is this important? Because wearing your little ones helps foster a lifelong bond! Babywearing keeps your hearts close together and creates a safe space for your little one that says, “this is home”. Parents who regularly wear their babies (even their older “babies”) are more attuned to their needs and have a strengthened bond. Worn babies are happy babies!
Before you leave for school or when you get home after school, put your little one up in a carrier for some time together to connect, regulate, and transition into the next activity.
Back to school can be a bittersweet time for families, but the most important thing is to try your best to slow down and make sure connection with your kids is the priority! Those little moments will go a long way.
