Tips For Facing Lazy School Children After Long Holidays

JAKARTA - Long holidays during the Eid holiday make children lazy to return to school. Sleep patterns are the most difficult to face.

Psychologist Husnul Muasyaroh, M.Psi, shares tips for parents to prepare their children to return to school after the long Eid holiday, one of which is by rearranging the hours of sleep. Take children to discuss casually about the topic of returning to school," said Husnul as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 3.

The first tip to prepare children to return to school after a vacation, according to Husnul, is to get back used to activities such as when entering school, especially about bedtime. If during holidays children are allowed to sleep late at night and wake up during the day, then schedule children to sleep so that it is not more than 9 pm.

By rearranging the sleep schedule, children can wake up early in a fresh condition.

Second, parents should not forget to ask how their children feel about returning to school, for example what interesting things their children will do when they go to school later. Parents also need to normalize their child's feelings of anxiety or worry about returning to school so that children understand that such feelings are natural and can be overcome, according to Husnul.

The third way is to re-generate the feeling of sense of belonging (arrival when someone feels they have something) that children are part of school so they need to return to school to learn new things, both academically and socially.

Another tip so that children are ready to return to school is that parents participate in helping their children prepare to return to school, namely by ensuring that all children's needs have been prepared, from uniforms to school equipment. That way, children feel that their need to return to school has been met.

Child psychologist Samanta Elsener, M.Psi, who was contacted separately, said that parents should participate in raising the child's enthusiasm to return to school. Parents can create a pleasant atmosphere about returning to school to their children so that they are ready to go to school.

"Parents are expected to avoid things that trigger children to become anxious or not excited about going to school," said Samanta.

Preparing children to return to school, according to Samanta, can be done at least three days before the D day of school. He also advises parents to avoid distraction such as a gadget before bed so that children have good sleep quality. Good sleep quality in children can make them wake up fresher, concentrate more while studying, and relatively stable emotions.

If the child feels anxious or depressed when he feels he has to return to school, Samanta explains that parents should invite their children to talk and listen to their complaints.

Teach children to cope with anxiety or depression, for example, relax through breathing, grounding or diversion methods, move the body, listen to songs, and others, to neutralize their emotions.