Many children and adults in Greater Sydney are very excited about returning to school soon. By the time children return, it will have been around four months since they were last on-site. For some children and/or parents, the return brings with it feelings of anxiety, fear, anger and disappointment. Some reasons for this might include:
Fear of getting sick.
Being around noisy, crowded playgrounds and classrooms.
Missing being with family (including the dog, cat, rabbit, etc your family might have added to family during lockdown).
Loving the extra time to connect with family - playing games, going on walks and rides, cooking, craft, movie nights, etc.
Loving more freedoms at home (yes, I realise that sounds strange during 'lockdown') such as wearing comfy clothes, perhaps less restrictions around device use, eating whenever hungry, more lenient bedtimes and perhaps feeling less pressure with school work.
Loving having one to one support from family with school work.
Worrying they might have forgotten how to do some school work.
Not having to worry about peer and playground issues such as fitting in and being bullied.
Stay in contact with the school
If you suspect your child is going to find it hard to get in the car or let go of your hand when they are due to return to school, consider giving their teacher a heads up. The teacher might be able to offer a phone call or zoom conversation with them prior, or keep an eye out for them on their first day back.
Most primary schools will be devising lots of ways they can help support children on their return, with both their wellbeing and their learning. Keep an eye out for notifications from your school so you can let your child know how they will be supported.