Every year, when fall comes back around, we parents buckle up our seatbelts and hold on tight. Because after the long and playful days of summer, transitioning our kids into a structured school-time routine is one bumpy ride.

Back-to-school time is a hustle, and we all know organization is key. But no matter how many lunches you plan ahead of time, back-to-school season is exhausting. Not just for you, running around town, but for your little one too. And the more rest our kids get as they settle into a new routine, the better (for everyone).

Whether it felt like your hair was constantly on fire or you loved the challenge of new teaching methods, the 2020–2021 school year left most educators feeling some level of burnout, depleted, and desperately needing time to recharge. More than once, last year, I was reduced to a nonverbal puddle melting into the couch, wondering how I was going to get back up and do it again the next day. So, it’s no wonder that as many educators are back in the classroom for this new school year, we’re doing so peeking out from behind our fingers and wondering what exactly this new year will bring. 

Teachers are multitaskers, go-getters, and low-key superheroes. It tracks that we begin the year with all the good intentions to meal prep, lay out our clothes the night before, and finally get that morning routine going.

Sometimes, however, these well-meaning practices can feel like one more task on the to-do list. By incorporating mindfulness practices into our daily routines, as they are already, we create strength, cultivate adaptability, and develop a more positive mindset:

This school year, it’s time to color outside of the lines. Not only did the last year mean huge restrictions for kids, but even before that the increasing use of social media, extra curriculars, competitive schooling, and more means kids have felt the mounting pressure to do well and fit in. And we think this year, back to school should be less about getting back to normal—and more about embracing the joy of doing things your own unique and colorful way. 

1.
Create special moments. 

2.
Make learning a game. 

3.
Set joy as an intention. 

4.
Make a COVID time capsule. 

5.
 Start a new tradition. 

6.
Make a fun to-do list. 

7.
Reflect with hope and gratitude. 

As parents, we know that play is important, but it can trigger other difficulties. It seems we have to strike the perfect balance between keeping our kids safe, and letting them truly engage with this wild world. We don’t want to be helicopter parents (which has been connected to more difficulty as our kids transition into the real world), but parenting obviously involves a degree of setting our kids up for success. That’s why, once we know they’re safe, we defer to the magic mantra: Let go, let grow. 

There’s no better place to practice this philosophy than in the comfort of our own home. In fact, all the benefits of free play can be enjoyed right in our living room with a little inspiration, like the Brentwood Home Play Couch. This Play Couch, along with a couple other tricks we have up our sleeve, will transform your living room into a playground (and classroom) in no time. Here’s how to do it:

Listen, social re-entry anxiety is real, for adults and kids alike. Not to mention, starting a new school year—coming out of a pandemic or not—is cause enough of some kids to get jitters about making friends, fitting in, and finding their community. “Some kids struggled to join in before the pandemic and may have sunk further into their own bubbles. The wall of opposition—shrugs, eye-rolling, or tantrums—is usually a sign that your child is struggling to surface in this brave new world.” says parenting expert Caroline Maguire, M.Ed. 

Social isolation has probably meant that some kids may have missed developing key social learnings, too. This may result in them feeling as though they don’t know how to navigate a conversation, reach out to others, and therefore, retreat. 

So the first thing to do is to identify where the pain points are. 

“We can all remember a time when we had to cross a room to speak to people we didn’t know or felt a nuanced and subtle slight. Due to social distancing, children have missed some of the natural progressions—the small and big social milestones that help us learn to connect. Your child may have struggled before COVID with fitting in, but now is the opportunity to identify which key social-emotional skills to work on such as chatting, approaching others, keeping a game going, reading the room,” says Maguire. 

Work with your child to find where they feel they are struggling—be an empathetic listener while doing so—and then help them build confidence in those areas. “Pair the social-emotional skills you are working on with low-key, fun opportunities to build confidence,” she says. “There are valuable social skills that come from interacting in a less-structured environment. Make this practice a game by including supportive opportunities with close friends, family, cousins, younger or older children, or a group.” The key is to practice these skills in low-stakes situations—there’s a lot of social pressure at school, so you’ll want to work on these skills in places where they know they won’t be judged—and even better, be encouraged!