Back-to-school: How to Help Your Child Beat the Post-holiday Blues
With the Mid-Year School Holidays coming to an end, your child may be dreading their return to school. After all the fun and leisure time with the family, a sudden return to the pre-holiday routine can negatively affect your child’s moods, resulting in feelings of sadness and disappointment. These feelings are also known as the post-holiday blues, which is the brain’s way of restoring order while adjusting to a different routine. Here are five ways to help your child get over the post-holiday blues and transition back into the school routine.
1. Know The Signs
The first step to helping your child beat the post-holiday blues is to recognise the signs. Keep a lookout for tell-tale signs like insomnia, irritability, a lack of appetite, inability to focus and disinterest in things they’re usually excited about. Knowing the signs will better prepare you to address any concerns and provide the necessary support to your child.
2. Be A Listening Ear
Even though it may be tough to deal with a moody child, make it a point to validate your child’s feelings to let them feel supported and understood. Instead of trying to talk them out of their negative feelings, lend a listening ear. Empathise with what they’re going through, but show them confidence that they will overcome this. You can also let your child know that they are not alone and that many kids experience the same feelings.
3. Make Time For Family Fun
Time with the family doesn’t have to end just because the holidays are over – make a conscious effort to set aside family time every week and schedule fun at-home activities for the family to bond over. Whether it’s an art project, a meal preparation or a simple board game, planning family time gives your child something to look forward to every week and can serve as a much-needed mood booster. Even playing video games together can be a good way for kids to learn communication, cooperation while having fun.
4. Stick To A Routine
After a fun and tiring school vacation, it is always a good idea to go back to a routine and establish some normalcy for your child. Children thrive on routine – a fixed and predictable schedule allows your child to have a sense of control and makes them feel more secure and less anxious.
Moreover, a structured routine with a proper sleep schedule ensures that your child gets sufficient sleep, which has a critical impact on their cognitive and learning abilities. Getting enough sleep also helps to keep illnesses and negative emotions at bay. To ease your child into the sleep routine, you can incorporate pre-bedtime activities like reading storybooks, listening to music or sharing about the day. Apart from allowing your child to wind down for the night, these pre-bedtime activities also serve as the perfect opportunity for you to spend some quality time with your child.
5. Get Healthy
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” While the occasional sweet treat for your little one is perfectly fine, overindulging in sugary foods can cause lethargy, sluggishness and even irritability. Ensure that your child stays hydrated and receives sufficient nutrition by loading up on fresh fruits and vegetables and cutting back on sugary snacks.
Apart from making healthier food choices, set aside time for exercise. Exercising helps release endorphins, which are instant mood-lifters and a quick and effective way to beat the blues. Incorporating playtime activities into your child’s daily routine, like hide-and-seek and dancing, is an effortless way to ensure that your child is getting the movement they need. Family workouts are also an excellent way for the family to bond while ensuring that everyone stays fit and healthy.
Help your child ease back into the school routine with PrepWorks’ coaching & enrichment programmes. Browse our list of enrichment classes today.
