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Six ways parents could make the return to school a little easier - Published It's back-to-school time again - and families brace for the challenge of swapping summer lie-ins for school routines, easing first-day nerves and getting ready for the year ahead. While children in Scotland returned to school in mid-August, children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be returning in the coming week as September begins. We spoke to experts to find out their six key tips to make going back to school as stress-free as possible. Keep a consistent morning routine Cerys Parker, a teacher and blogger, says one of the best ways to keep organised during school time is to keep a consistent morning routine. Her morning starts 30 minutes before her children wake up, for some alone time and a hot coffee. She then makes them the same breakfast every morning, which they eat together with no screens, then it's upstairs for showers and getting ready for school. She grabs their lunch boxes and they leave the house at 07:30 for the bus, or 07:50 if Parker is dropping them at school on the way to her own job. The night before, she makes sure school bags are packed, shoes are ready, uniform is laid out and lunch is packed for the morning. "We have things in the same place, so the bags are always in the same location, the keys, and that makes the morning smoother. There's no panic about where everything's going to be." Keep a calendar and plan for important days in the school year It is easy to forget non-uniform days, sports days or study sessions. Parker recommends having a family calendar pinned to your wall or your fridge - somewhere you can easily see it every day. "It's an academic year calendar with a space for each of us, and then an events section, so as soon as a notice comes in, I write it down." This could include things like meal plans, after-school activities or - depending on your child's age - exams. It's worth reminding yourself of the school holiday dates, while Parker also notes down key days for her children's school year, such as: - Children in Need, on Friday, 13 November - World Book Day, on Thursday, 4 March 2027 - Red Nose Day, on Friday, 19 March 2027 - Earth Day, on Thursday, 22 April 2027 She also keeps a small purse of coins throughout the year in case her children need some change for non-uniform days or bake sales. Find out how their day was in a different way After school, many children are tired and are not up for discussion about their day, so Will Shield, professor of child and educational psychology at the University of Exeter, suggests changing your approach to the conversation. "Ask some open questions, instead of interrogating them," he says. "Ask what made you smile today? Or who did you play with at lunchtime?" These sorts of questions are a lot easier to answer for a child, he says, instead of asking what they did. Parker suggests similar questions, like: "What was the silliest thing that happened, or what made you laugh today?" For younger children, clinical psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado told CBeebies Parenting Download that pick-up time should not be a "sign of alarm". "See it as part of the process of separating and loving you, missing you, which is really important." Introduce the idea of school before the big day Many families will have children attending school for the first time, which can be just as big a moment for parents as it is for new pupils. Shield says parents should "reassure themselves" about the routine they will need to follow on school mornings. "Visit the school, walk or drive past it, bring bedtimes back a bit earlier so it's not just a big start in the first week," he says. He also encourages parents to introduce their child into the concept of school, through things like: - Reading books about school - Going through the school website - Trying on the new school uniform or PE kit Deiros Collado says school readiness is not about "numbers and letters". "It's about much more basic things, like feeling comfortable and safe to be in a classroom with other children," she says. Building independence can also help bridge the gap between home and school life, she says, by encouraging your child to do some things by themselves, such as zipping up their own coat. "It's just building that sense of, I'm ready to do this without you," she says. But Deiros Collado also stresses that your child should be able to ask for help when they need it. "One of the best skills you can give your little ones is being able to say to an adult, 'Help me,' because you want your kid to be able to say that to a teacher." She also suggests a "goodbye ritual" with your child to practise separation, such as blowing a kiss. Structure a homework timetable every week Katharine Radice, teacher and author, recommends putting together a homework timetable. "Doing this puts boundaries around homework and makes it easier to ring-fence distraction-free time," she says. This could be different every week depending on different activities, but Radice stresses there should be a plan in advance so it's not left to the last minute. For supporting children with homework, Radice suggests approaching the task in a "positive and open way" and listening to what they might be finding difficult. She also recommends looking for opportunities to praise your child's effort in doing work to help them "stay motivated." "If your child thinks their outcomes won't meet your expectations, they may start to feel that their effort is pointless," she says. Don't just reassure children - listen to them Some children who are returning to school may have anxieties about the year ahead, and Shield recommends to sit with your child and listen to their concerns. "Don't immediately reassure them by saying, 'You'll be fine,'" he says. "The child's got no evidence they will be fine because they're worried." He suggests phrases such as "I can see you're worried" to make a child feel listened to. It is also worth trying to dig deeper to find out what is making them worried about school specifically. He also recommends some gentle encouragement of positive things they like about school to ease some worries, such as lunchtime or playing sports with friends. If anxiety does become overwhelming for them, if they aren't sleeping or it is stopping them from doing everyday things, then Shield recommends talking to the school or a local GP. - Published20 August - Published10 August
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