For many school age children, Spring Break is just around the corner. Its hard to imagine that three months of the New Year have already flown by. Before we know it, the summer holidays will be upon us and we may be faced with children who are experiencing anxiety around the transition from the structure and predictability of the school year to the less structured format of the summer holidays. Lets meet Ryan: Ryan is five years old. For the past year, he has been attending kindergarten. With Grade 1 looming around the corner, his teacher and parents have been talking about the changes in his school day next year. Youll be at a different school, Ryan mom tells him sweetly one night as she tucks him in, youre growing up! Ryan knows that his new school is a bus ride away from home. Now his mom wont be taking him. The next morning, Ryan wakes up and complains that he is not feeling well. His mother lets him stay home. Each day for an entire week, Ryan claims not to feel well. When he finally does return to school, he begins to have accidents wetting his pants a behavior that he had long grown out of. His need to be coddled by the teacher increases to the point where it is disruptive to the rest of the class. Concerned that Ryans behavior is indicative of an underlying problem, he is referred to a counselor. During his session, it is discovered that Ryan is worried about the changes in his routine. His afternoons may not always be spent with his mom and baby brother playing at the park. Ryan really likes being with his baby brother and is proud of the things that hes helped Matthew learn. Hes worried that his brother will forget who he is if hes at school at a place farther from home and that Matthew wont be able to learn how to walk and talk if hes not around to show him what to do. Ryan felt that if he kept acting like a little boy, he wouldnt have to continue on to Grade 1 next year and his routine would stay the same. A plan was created by teacher and family to help Ryan ease into his new role at school and at home. His new school had a program where the Kindergarteners spent time in the Grade 1 class for an entire week. The week ended with both classes spending the entire day together. At the end of the week, Ryan began to feel less anxiety around the transition to Grade 1. The day that he spent the entire day at his new school, Ryan came home to be greeted by his brother who had not forgotten who he was. As his mother tucked him in that night, Ryan told his mom Im really looking forward to being in Grade 1 next year and learning more stuff that I can teach Matthew. Some of the following may raise your insights towards transition: 1. Be aware of your childs behavior/emotional changes. 2. Always validate your childs feelings. 3. Support your child upon their strengths. 4. Keep your own self in check. Remember: You are the expert when it comes to your family and child. If you have a concern, trust your instinct and find someone trained to help you. |
