Riding the Back to School Wave
After a long Summer break it can be a stressful time for children returning to, or starting school in September. We take a look at some of the ways families can help ease the transition for kids big and small.
Record numbers of children are struggling with their emotional wellbeing, with many schools not having the resources in place to support them, leaving parents and caregivers unsure how to support the kids in their lives. Our mission at Happy Marlo is to empower as many little humans with big feelings as possible. With that in mind, here are some of our top tips on how to navigate the back-to-school rollercoaster with your Little Marlos:
Positive Affirmations
Affirmations can be an easy yet powerful way to help your child feel more confident and positive as they start a new school year. Simple, positive, repeatable statements provide a great anchor for kids to remember, and come back to during the day. Good examples include:
I am brave and I am capable
I can handle whatever comes my way
By repeating these affirmations out loud or in our heads can have a huge impact on how you feel, and this is especially true for children. @therealvanvan knows ALL about this!
Emotional Freedom Technique
Another powerful tool you can use to support your child (and one of our favourites at Happy Marlo) is EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as Tapping. This is a technique where you tap on specific points on your body while focusing on a particular thought or emotion. EFT is scientifically proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and other challenging emotions. Best of all it’s easy to learn, and can be done anywhere at any time. It’s a lovely bonding experience for you and your child to do together. Check out some of our tapping resources here.
Active Listening
One of the most important things you can do when communicating with your child is to actively listen. What does that mean? For many of us it can mean firstly putting down our phones, or stopping what we are doing, to give our kids our full attention for a moment or two, and try to really focus on what it is that they are saying. This can also mean not trying to immediately solve their problems for them or jump in with advice. Just like adults, sometimes children just want to be heard. When they feel truly heard, they will be more likely to open up and share their thoughts and feelings with you.
Get Your Dancing Shoes On
And a nice follow on from Snoop Dog is our final tip. When Happy Marlo spoke to some Little Marlos last year, over a third told us that listening to music made them feel like their best self. Our COO Joanna makes sure that every Friday is Disco Dancing Night in her house — each family member gets to choose a couple of songs for everyone to dance to, and the sillier the dancing, the better! If you have time to listen to just one upbeat song before getting everyone out the door, this is also a brilliant way to start the day. Kriss Kross’s Jump is a firm fave for the walk to nursery!
So as we say goodbye to Summer, the main takeaway is to seek out those little moments of joy and connection whenever we can. Not always easy, but it is the trying that counts! Here’s to a new year of learning and growth for us all.
For more helpful resources check out Happy Marlo x EC BID’s Summer Digital Toolkit.
