Easing the transition back to school

Hi everyone,

I hope you have all had a fantastic summer break.  Funny how time flies – I just can’t believe we are already on the cusp of February!  It has been an absolutely bumper time here at Au Pair Link this past month.  With many parents heading back to work, we often find ourselves very busy around this time with families looking for an Au Pair to look after the kids.

With the kids heading back to school next week, I thought I’d take a bit of time to talk about ways to prepare children for their transition from holiday routines to the 8:30am – 3:00pm school day.  A bit of preparation can often save a lot of stress and anxiety for all involved (yes, parents included!).

With our little one, Tom, in the care of his lovely Au Pair, Julia, I’ve been thinking more and more about what the years ahead have in store for him.  For many children this will be their first year in school, and in a few years’ time it will be Tom’s turn.  So, how do we get our little treasures ready to take the plunge?  Here are a few tips I’ve picked up from a few friends with school-aged children.

Talk about school – talk to the kids about starting back at school and what they are looking forward to.  Try to put a positive spin on their return by focussing on their favourite subjects, catching up with their friends etc.Prepare a week in advance – start waking the kids up around the time they’ll need to be up and ready for school.  Explain you are helping them get ready for a new routine – “Today is still a day for fun, but we’ll need to be getting up early when you’re back at school!”Early nights – readjusting kids’ body clock is essential for easing them back into the school routine.  While they might not appreciate a 7:30pm lights-out, you will find that after a week or so, they are back into the school routine and are actually so tired they end up finding their own way to bed!Funky school supplies – it might sound silly, but a great way to get your kids excited about school is to let them choose some new stationery for the year!

These are just a few bits n’ pieces that I’ve picked up recently – there is a wealth of information available to parents to tackle the challenge of getting the kids ready for their new routine.  Most importantly, take particular care to notice if your child or children are feeling any anxiety about their return to school.  Taking time to speak about social anxiety or any other concerns can often make a world of difference to a worried child.  Encourage, encourage, encourage!

I hope some of these tips prove useful to those with kids heading back to the classroom in 2013. School can be an exciting place but can also be a scary place for kids – it really is a journey into the unknown.  Lucky for them, with a bit of love and support, they’ll be set to have an amazing time learning and mixing with their friends.

Look forward to an exciting year!

Best wishes,
Cecilia

Cecilia Robinson is the founder of Au Pair Link- the largest Au Pair agency in Australasia and one of the largest Au Pair agencies in the world. She also founded the New Zealand Au Pair Association which has helped to lift standards the New Zealand Au Pair industry. Cecilia was the winner of the Her Business Best New Business award in 2009 and more recently Cecilia won the supreme award of ‘Businesswoman of the Year 2012’ and ‘Best SME 2012’.

Cecilia was born in Sweden and has travelled extensively. She's currently expecting her first child and is looking forward to putting her Au Pair expertise into practice in her own family.

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