When the Kids Don’t Want To Go Back To School

Back to school can be exciting, scary, or even sad for some families. There are a lot of emotions with summer fun ending for the kids, parents having to reorganize their schedules especially for families of divorce, and maybe your kids aren’t the biggest fans of school. So what can parents do to help their children have a successful start to their school year?

Here are some tips on easing the transition:

• Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun! She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh their positive memories about previous years, when they may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because they had a good time.
• Find a neighborhood friend they can ride the bus or walk to school
• Keep in touch with old friends over the summer, so they know they’ll have someone they know when they return.
• Drive them on their first day, so they have that extra comfort.
• Talk to your child and school staff to see if you can figure out what is triggering your child’s school avoidance behaviors, such as a bully, school performance problems, or trouble making friends.
• Back to school tips for getting kids excited to head back to school involve the excitement of shopping for new things for the new year, from picking out a new backpack to stocking up on a cool fall wardrobe.
• Personalizing backpacks, lunchboxes, pencil boxes and even grade-specific t-shirts can help get your kiddos motivated to begin the new school year. Opt for your child’s initials if you’re apprehensive about putting his full name for strangers to see.