After weeks of school holidays, constant playing and a decidedly less rigid routine, it can be a challenge for children to go back to school. In fact, back to school time may cause children to feel:
- Pressure from expectations, from teachers, parents and friends
- Enthusiasm, about getting new stationary and school books
- Stressed or anxious
- Excitement, about seeing friends again
- Sad that the school holidays are over
- Physically sick from stress, including headaches or migraines
- Concerns about work load and keeping up with school and home work.
Children will have different experiences of returning to school, and parents should keep an eye out for how they are coping. For example, it’s not uncommon for children, from senior infants on to find it difficult to sleep the night before school resumes after holidays.
It's also possible that your child may be worrying about going back to school because they have been bullied in the past and are concerned it will start happening again once school starts back. Building your child’s resilience is a great way to help them overcome any back to school challenges.
