Classes at local schools, St. Lawrence College, Queen’s University and RMC are set to resume in the coming weeks. If you’re concerned about the back-to-school transition, these suggestions may help your family.
Supporting school-aged children
Whenever possible, keep a familiar routine – letting children know what to expect helps them feel more secure.
- If you didn’t shift bedtime before the end of summer, make gradual weekly adjustments until you find a time that suits your family’s needs, and can be maintained throughout the school year.
- Post a visual schedule with morning and bedtime routines, and choice time options that can be enjoyed once “need to do” items are completed.
- Use a calendar or app to schedule time that will be spent with another parent, caregiver, or friends, or at extra-curricular activities and special events as well as identifying dates to complete key homework assignments.
- Make sure your child knows who to go to, and how to ask for assistance, if they struggle with schoolwork or social situations.
- If it is a new school, take photos of the classroom, playground, and bus stop, to make areas feel more familiar and comfortable.
- Help your child identify and practice activities that make them feel more at ease. Mindful breathing is an example that can benefit the whole family!
You might share an “All About Me” page with teachers and childcare providers, to let them know about your child’s interests and strengths, struggles and coping strategies, and changes to bus or pick-up routines due to work schedules, living arrangements, or deployment.
Invite children to help plan, shop for and pack healthy lunches, and have kindergarten students practice opening and closing containers on their own. Being involved helps develop confidence and independence (and will usually reduce the amount of food being thrown out or sent home!).
If your child has a hard time being away from you during the day, consider creating a back-to-school tradition, such as reading a special story, packing a fun or silly family photo in an agenda or backpack, or making matching bracelets to feel connected. You could also plan a Show and Tell Dinner once your family has settled into the school year: make or order in a favourite meal, and catch up on the first month, from new teachers and friends to something strange, interesting, or funny that has happened.
Parenting College and University Students
Patience and understanding are key. Gaining greater independence can be both exciting and overwhelming, and it can take time to adjust to more freedom, new responsibilities, and an evolving relationship with parents.
Let young adults make decisions for themselves, knowing that they may differ from the choices you’d make.
- Rather than pushing for specific courses or grades, notice your child’s efforts, show an interest in what they’re learning, and validate other rewarding aspects of college or university life, from new friendships to volunteering, rec activities, and work placements.
- Encourage accessing on-campus supports and speaking directly with professors.
- Grown children may still appreciate a listening ear and being coached through the decision-making process: identify the problem or need, brainstorm possible solutions, consider the potential effects or consequences of each, and find a feasible course of action that best suits their needs and values.
Remember Your Own Needs!
The back-to-school season can be emotional for parents, too – especially if your first child is entering kindergarten, it is the first year all your children are school-aged, or your child has begun university or college. Consider planning something special for yourself, or meeting up with friends who are marking a similar parenting milestone!
Our Military Family Navigators can help families access a variety of resources, ranging from special needs support to parent coaching through changes or complex situations. To connect with a Military Family Navigator please call 613-541-5010 ext. 5195.