For adults who wait 300 days for the December break, it seems November turned into January pretty quickly.
Now, imagine the emotional trauma the children are experiencing, giving up the ‘fun in the sun’ attitude, in exchange for blazers, ball-point pens, and a whole lot of rules.
Lazy days in bed and walking on the beach on a Tuesday afternoon are a thing of the not-so-distant past.
Heartbreaking, really.
But back to reality we go, and that isn’t always an easy transition to make. [As we get older, it doesn’t get easier].
So, what can be done to make the journey into the 2017 academic year a (fairly) smooth one?
Three things.
Be prepared
A huge part of the anxiety of going back to school, is the fear children have that they will do so ill-equipped. As far as you can, make sure that your children have the appropriate stationary, uniform and study aids required by their specific school.
We have all had the nightmare in which we arrive at school, completely naked. Or you dream that you have an oral to do, but can’t find your keywords.
This is the same as going to school, without your school supplies.
This may seem to be a given, but many teachers are following up on outstanding school materials quite far into February. Besides disrupting the flow of the school day, your child might fall behind in their workload.
Your little scholar will feel a bit more secure, knowing that their tools are covered.
Stick to a bedtime
Now that things are in full swing, children’s days are filled with scholarly activities, meaning that they aren’t resting as much as they have in the last month.
Setting a standard bed time will ensure that they wake up for school refreshed.
A refreshed mind is ready to learn, and it will it their bodies back into a routine.
No more holiday junk food
December is notorious for over-eating.
Besides the amounts of food we consume, the quality of the snacks aren’t always the most nutritious.
Candy canes and hot chips are not exactly brain food, and even though they make you feel sluggish, it’s okay to get away with being immobile for hours on end when you’re on holiday.
Not so much when you need to solve mathematical equations.
Pack in fruit and loads of water for your children.
Choose snacks that keep their energy up throughout the school day, as well as benefit their minds.