Five tips for Christian parents to help children back to school after holidays

As Christian parents, we face the same challenges as other parents. Thankfully, we are never alone in our challenges, because God has promised to be our “ever-present help in trouble”.

Now that summer holidays are gradually drawing to a close, it is not uncommon for some children to feel anxiety about the coming academic year and dread returning to school. Although we can’t face the situation for our children or make it magically go away, we can help them transition back to school in numerous ways.

Here are five tips to equip your kids:

1. Prayer

Prayer is obviously the most useful way to take on our challenges. When we pray for our children (either in their presence or privately), we invite the Almighty to be involved in their schooling. He knows exactly which situations they will encounter upon returning to school. He is fully aware of which relationships they will have to deal with and which material will be on the table.

God will provide the help they need and enable them to succeed.

And what is more, He is there for them! This means that, as we pray for our children, we can rest assured that their schooling is ultimately in God’s hands. He will provide the help they need and enable them to succeed according to His purposes. We can do no better than pray for our kids as they leave home and return to school. Even if they do not pray themselves, the fact that we pray for them and let them know about that will encourage them. They will see that we care enough to do what we can.

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Some of the dread your children may feel can also be countered by teaching them to pray through their school days. Even Daniel, who had no choice but to study in a pagan environment, navigated his education successfully by lifting his heart and life to God three times a day.

2. Spiritual preparation

Preparing for the school year in prayer, however, may not be enough to ensure a smooth transition to school life. Your child will also need spiritual preparation for the change.

As parents, we have been gifted with unique love and wisdom for raising our children, so it can be helpful for your child to have a few memorable moments with you before school begins again. As a part of spiritually preparing your children for school, it will probably be useful to remind them of God’s promises. They might not know what the future holds, but God does. He has promised to be their help. And they can count on Him. You might want to share some of your own experiences in this context.

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3. Emotional preparation

Returning to school can also be emotionally challenging for some children. They may dread being bullied, left out, or simply feeling different. Take time to remind them that they are loved no matter what and valuable the way they are. It might also be helpful to ask your children how they feel about their classmates or teachers (if they know them). Thankfully, the Bible provides ample encouragement and practical advice on how to navigate tricky relationships.

Don’t forget to celebrate!

4. Practical preparation

Practical preparations (when done at an appropriate moment) can help a child to gradually transition from holiday mode to school again. Hunting for their school bag and checking through their pencil case in time will not only help them to embrace the new season, but it will also make the beginning of school less stressful for the whole family. Leaving these preparations to the last minute may make the change too abrupt — but starting too early may also create needless stress for your child, so pick your timing wisely.

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5. Celebration

And finally, don’t forget to celebrate! Something good may be coming to a close, but something good is beginning, too. Make an inventory of all the blessings behind you and before you in the season of transition. And create space for a final family holiday activity (maybe an outing or a game?) to bring the holidays to a close in a memorable way.

I have personally found it helpful to also plan something fun for the first school days. Could your child have a special snack at school? Could they have a friend over for a visit? There are plenty of ways to help a child readjust to the school rhythm. And as one of our daughters said, she likes to think that her holiday isn’t really over. As soon as school is done for the day, she’s on summer holiday again.

Whether your children are homeschooled, attending a Christian school or even a secular one, with some preparation, they don’t need to dread the beginning of school. God holds the future and their lives in His hands.