Navigating the Back-to-School Transition: Tips for a smooth shift

The problem with this time of the year is that it spoils you. Long mornings, late nights, and the luxury of deciding plans on a whim. But once those back-to-school banners creep into shop windows, parents such as

Dr Aseel A. Takshe know the household clock is about to be reset. “As a mother, I feel the familiar tug of transition,” says Dr Takshe, Acting Dean at the School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Canadian University Dubai. “The move from carefree days to the structure and rhythm of the school year is universal, one filled with both anticipation and a touch of dread.”

For Aseel, who is Lebanese Canadian and married to Qussay Abdul Wahab, that rhythm revolves around their 10-year-old child, a student at Lycée Louis Massignon. When September hits, the entire pace of their household changes. Breakfast is suddenly locked to a fixed time, lunchboxes have to be packed, and mornings that once allowed a snooze now demand precision. After school, there’s homework, activities, and strict bedtimes, whereas summer once meant flexible evenings and spontaneous outings.

The hardest part, she admits, isn’t just logistical. “The most challenging part is adapting to the return of structure and time pressure,” she explains. Children wrestle with earlier wake-ups and tighter rules, while parents juggle the invisible load, keeping track of assignments, activities, meals, and sleep schedules. “There’s also the emotional adjustment,” she adds. “Saying goodbye to the freedom of summer fun and re-acclimating to the responsibilities and expectations that come with the new school year.”

Over time, she’s developed strategies to make the shift gentler. Bedtimes and wake-up times start inching forward a week before school reopens. Evenings are for quiet prep: uniforms laid out, bags packed, lunchboxes ready. A family calendar or whiteboard keeps everyone on track, with activities, meals, and reminders scribbled in plain sight.

Planning isn’t just about avoiding chaos, it’s also about mental well-being, both for kids and parents. “Conversations are important,” says Dr Takshe. She makes time to talk with her child about what to expect in their new academic year, addressing nerves and stoking excitement. Reviewing classroom routines or testing out uniforms helps ease anxiety. “I show my own excitement about new beginnings, even if I feel the stress,” she says.

For her, organisation is not a rigid system but a buffer against burnout. “Planning takes the guesswork out of busy mornings and evenings, freeing up mental energy for quality time and problem-solving,” she notes. Consistent routines also mean less forgetfulness, fewer last-minute scrambles, and healthier habits around sleep and nutrition. “Regular bedtime routines signal the transition from activity to rest, making mornings easier for everyone.”

Her advice to other parents staring down the same shift is simple: don’t try to flip the switch overnight. “Start small and be gentle with yourselves,” she says. Introduce small changes in rhythm a few days before school begins. Gradual adjustments, she believes, make the transition not only manageable but meaningful. “With patience, you can smooth the roughest edges of the back-to-school blues. Every family finds its rhythm, and with a bit of intention and a lot of understanding, we can make it a season of fresh starts.”