Anyone who experiences Sunday night dread before a new week at work will be all-too-familiar with the anxiety that creeps in ahead of a big day – including the back-to-school anxiety children feel ahead of a new school year.
We are exploring this in our Back to School digital issue, guest-edited by Alesha Dixon.
MORE: 10 back to school traditions to start at home with your kids
There's a wealth of advice out there for helping soothe back-to-school anxiety, from talking through the days ahead, to encouraging children to practice mindfulness to help them calm down.
If your child is simply feeling nervous, rather than suffering with anxiety, keeping them busy on the last day of the holidays is a sure-fire way to keep their mind off their totally-normal nerves.
READ: Best mindfulness gifts for children: Help relieve stress and anxiety in children
What's the difference between back-to-school nerves and anxiety?
According to Healthline, feeling nerves is a natural response to a stressful event. It's temporary and goes away once the stress has passed.
© Photo: iStockBack-to-school nerves differ from anxiety
Anixety on the other hand, is a psychiatric disorder caused by a number of factors including genetics, brain chemistry and life events. Anxiety disorders are long-lasting and uncontrollable without treatment.
With this in mind, keeping busy on the last way of the summer holidays is a great way to banish back-to-school nerves and stop the whole day from being about dreading the morning that follows.
RELATED: 12 best children’s books about anxiety for kids who worry
Read on for some fun ways to spend the last day of the summer holidays – and banish back-to-school nerves while you're at it.
How to spend the last day of the summer holidays
1. Pencil case shopping
Preparing for the new year of school doesn't have to be about ironing uniforms and sorting packed lunches – the simple act of getting your child's pencil case organised can make back-to-school feel like fun.
© Photo: iStockShopping for new stationery can help ease nerves about the school year
"I used to love going 'pencil case shopping' with my mum just before school started," says Hello! Magazine's lifestyle writer Georgia Brown. "I'd usually be allowed to get a treat like a new pack of fineliners or new highlighters and I'd spend the evening organising it."
2. Playing with friends
Keeping it low-key on the last day of the school holidays is a good way to banish nerves as it stops the following day feeling like a 'big' day. If your children have spent all summer playing with friends, why not plan this for the last day of the holidays too?
Go for friends that live locally to eliminate the need for specific pick-up and drop-off times – there will be plenty of logistics to deal with once school starts!
© Photo: iStockOrganise a play date with friends
"I'd always spend the day at one of my best friend's houses," says Hello! Magazine's acting deputy online editor Sharnaz Shahid. "We'd watch Disney, play dress up and pick out sweets in the afternoon. Honestly so basic but loved it all the same!"
Encouraging your child to see a friend on the last day of the holidays will remind them it's exciting to go back to school and see all of their peers they missed over the summer.
3. Special days out
Marking the end of the school holidays with a day trip is a fun way to keep your child distracted before term starts – be it a jaunt to the swimming pool, a trip to a museum or a visit to one of their favourite places, tiring children out ahead of their return to school means they'll sleep well rather than fret in bed.
4. Reminisce over the holidays
Whether you're putting together a scrapbook of the summer holidays or just chatting over their school holiday highlights, chatting about all the fun you've had is a great way to spend the last day of the holidays.
© Photo: iStockReminiscing over all the holiday fun they've had can help ease nerves
"My kids like making videos and we edit them together for a summer video to watch on the last day of the holidays to remember the fun we had," says Hello!'s deputy US news editor Hannah Hargrave.
5. Plan a pamper party
There's nothing that calms nerves like a little bit of self-care. At-home facemasks, hair masks and pedicures are a super fun and relaxing way to round off the school holidays and make your child feel special.
© Photo: iStockSelf-care is a relaxing way to round off the school holidays
6. Plan a last-minute holiday
If you're super-organised and can all the 'back to school' prep done beforehand, why not go on holiday right at the end of the school break, returning the day before term starts. Your child will be distracted by all the fun of the holiday and the nerves won't have time to kick in!
7. Visualise the new school year
While we'd avoid spending too much of the last day of the holidays thinking about school, set aside half an hour to talk about the upcoming term.
"It's helpful to take time with your child to reflect on and write out their worries and hopes for the new school year," says Samantha Snowden, mindfulness meditation teacher at Headspace. "This gives them a chance to air out and process their feelings and see that they are manageable, not something they have to suppress or handle on their own.
"Ask your child to imagine a perfect school day or a day when everything goes well, and maybe even take notes as they describe it to you. This will help empower your child with optimism and the courage to act in ways that help make school a place they want to be."
8. Get baking
Baking is a fun last day of the holidays activities, because not only does it keep worried minds busy, it gives your child something to take into school and share the next day, which could make them excited, rather than worried.
© Photo: iStockBaking is a way for kids to practice mindfulness
Headspace's director of meditation Eve Lewis Prieto points out that baking can be mindful, which helps with nerves.
"When you’re in the kitchen focusing on tasks such as stirring, mixing and weighing, this helps your child step away from any thoughts and distractions, and keeps their mind in the present moment. That’s the essence of mindfulness!"
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