We’ve talked a lot on the blog about the effects of quarantine on children, all the changes we’ve seen in the past few months, and the difficult decisions parents have had to face. However, as we start to resume somewhat “normal” routines, we know that parents will be facing a bit of a challenge transitioning their children back to in-person care after they’ve spent so many months at home.

We wanted to share a few tips for parents everywhere to help make the transition back to “normal” as seamless as possible.

Communication Is Key

Talk to your children about returning to school in a positive, upbeat and excited way. Remind them about all the friends they’re going to get to see again, the teachers they’ve been missing, or even their favorite snacks or lunch they look forward to at school. Help them get excited about returning to school or daycare, but also make sure you’re having open conversations about things like social distancing and why they are important. If your child is at an age where there is a mask protocol in place at their school or daycare, talk to them about why it’s imperative that they follow the rules, and remind them the importance of listening to teachers and staff while at school.

Talking to your children ahead of time about these crucial subjects will help them feel more relaxed and comfortable with the new procedures they will have to follow once they’re back in school/daycare. Their teachers will thank you, trust us!

Get Them Back in a Routine

Chances are the past few months have brought flexible schedules, varying morning routines, and more unstructured time than any of us would have liked. As you prepare to send your children back to their in-class environment, start re-establishing before and after school routines so that your children have time to adjust. Start a week or two before you intend to return them to daycare or school to give their bodies and minds a chance to fall back into a structured routine.

A few things to consider when re-establishing a routine are:

• Set wakeup times and bedtimes
• Set a routine in the morning for breakfast and getting dressed, even for the few weeks before school starts
• Don’t forget about family time! Be sure to still set aside time in the evenings, around the time your children would be getting home from school/daycare, to spend time as a family. They are used to spending all kinds of time with you after the past few months, so make sure not to completely remove those important interactions from the routine!
• If possible, engage in some pretend play with your children to help them reacclimate to a play-based environment. Who doesn’t love a few minutes of building blocks each day?

Communicate with Your School or Daycare

Be open with your school or daycare about any concerns or questions you have with your children returning to in-person care. Talk over any issues you’ve experienced in the past few months, particularly with younger children, related to things like napping, diet, or what activities they have or haven’t been engaging in.

“Trust the Process”

All tips and tricks aside, we know this transition can be overwhelming and incredibly stressful for parents and their children. Fortunately, we know that children are strong and resilient, and will undoubtedly settle back into their in-school routine in just a matter of weeks. In the meantime, allow yourself time to stop, take a few deep breaths, relax, and trust the process.

Do not hesitate to reach out to your school, daycare, teachers and fellow parents for support during your transition.

At the Simon Center, we are committed to being here for all our current and future parents to help make the transition back to in-center care as seamless and stress-free as possible. We are always available to address our parents’ questions and concerns.