Tips to prepare for school transitions

New school years can be exciting as children and teens prepare to rejoin their friends and take new classes. However, transitions between milestone years can take a toll as buildings change, curriculum becomes more difficult, and children, tweens and teens gain more independence and responsibilities. Read more to explore tips for a smoother transition back to school.

Easing into kindergarten

The transition from preschool to kindergarten can be tough. Children will need to get used to a new building with new rules, teachers and students, but there are things you can do before the start of school to help a child prepare:

• Establish a routine for mornings and evenings. Make lists with photos to remind kids of tasks or activities and what they need to bring to school.
• Establish a sleep schedule before school starts. This includes a school bedtime routine with no screen time one hour before bed. If your child has been staying up late and sleeping in, it can be easier to start waking a little earlier each morning versus attempting to get them into bed earlier. Adjust their bedtime as they become sleepy earlier at night.
• Visit the school before the first day to familiarize yourself with new surroundings. Taking away uncertainty will help a child ease into a new environment.
• Explain what the school day will look like. Talk with them about what their day and week might look like, what types of rules they’re expected to follow, and describe what learning, lunch and play times will look like.

Continuing through elementary school

As a child continues through elementary school, the surroundings, faces and routines will likely be more familiar to them. This is a great time to build upon their routines, healthy choices and responsibilities.

• Continue routines and include time for homework or studying. Include some free time to play and wind down.
• Teach your child to prioritize their increasing independence and responsibilities. If projects cause a child to be overwhelmed, help them break down larger assignments into smaller parts.
• Allow them to make their own decisions when possible. Instead of giving orders, give your child the opportunity to make choices and have appropriate control.
• Let them experience the positive and negative consequences of their actions. If they get in trouble at school, allow the school to provide the in-school consequence. At home, show empathy and help your child decide how to make the next day better.

Moving up to middle school

The transition to middle school might bring about some anxiety as most students transition to a new school with classroom changes.

Help ease unsettled feelings by being supportive of their new learning environments, friendships, experiences and emotions.

• Get to know the building, teachers and resources. Bring your tween to “back-to-school nights,” community activities and open houses held at the school.
• Make a map. Mark the location of each class on your child’s schedule and include other important places like their locker, the lunchroom, bathrooms, the gym, the nurse and the main office.
• Encourage them to try new things. Joining a club and other extracurricular activities can help them find their passion, determine what they don’t like and help them make friends who share their interests.
• Set up space at home for homework, projects and studying. Keep the area free from distractions and ensure it’s a comfortable place to spend time.
• Help them stay engaged. Be curious about what they are learning. Ask questions about specific subjects they are learning. Listen and try to avoid correcting them or disputing their ideas.

Transitioning to high school

Like the transition from elementary to middle school, your teen is no longer an upper-class student, and the building is likely a new environment. Explore the building before school starts and encourage your child to map out their classes as their schedules change throughout the year.

This stage can be full of exciting opportunities, more challenging curriculum and heightened emotions surrounding social situations, so it’s important for parents to stay involved.

• Embrace, encourage and understand their social lives. Teens can spend hours on the phone talking or texting with friends, even after they've been with them all day. They may want to spend the majority of their time with friends, at activities or a new job. As long as they’re safe and performing well in school, these situations can help them build their identities and figure out their futures.
• Check in with them often. Ask specific questions to avoid “yes” and “no” answers. This can help them recognize and process their different feelings, as well as help you give them suggestions and guidance.
• Teens can have preconceived ideas about high school. The media can influence how teens view what school should be like. Set boundaries that work for your family with curfew, jobs, activities and social settings. This is a great time to talk about peer pressure and how to handle various tricky situations.
• Know that you don’t know. You’re parenting under circumstances that you did not live through. Talk with your adolescent about how often they believe you should be checking the school portal and develop a schedule you both feel comfortable with.