5 Ways to Help your Kids Beat the Post School Holidays Blues

Hear that?

That is the collective sigh from every single member in the Cheekiemonkie household heralding the dreaded fact that the great school holidays is ending its run soon.

And while for many of us, the return to the routine of daily living at the end of a month-long school holiday break can be a relief - no more cooking, no more cleaning, no more brainstorming on how to keep kids occupied - the post-holiday period can represent a real time of melancholy and readjustment too.

I should know.

We had the most amazing short getaway with our close friends and the next minute, it was all over.

As I unlocked my home door, an icy welcome-back-to-reality blast thrashed me in the face and brought me crashing down before my suitcases could even touch the floor.

We adults feel that tinge of sadness as we slip back into the numbness of the daily grind, so what more of the kids? The holidays are all about sensory overload, with a flurry of activities, leisure time, late nights, and loads of pure fun. So when all of that ends, kids may feel sad returning to their pre-holiday life. The decrease in celebrations and excitement may cause kids (and their parents too) to experience a case of ‘post-holiday blues' and feelings of disappointment once it all sinks in.

Here are 5 ways parents can help their kids deal with post-holiday blues:

1. Share Your Own Feelings

Chances are, parents are feeling the case of post-holiday blues themselves! So confess to your kids how reluctant it is for you to see the holidays ending too. Let them know it is okay to feel like this and that it is actually normal. Show empathy in addressing your kids' disappointment but also let them know that you have confidence that they will get through it.

2. Get Back into Routine

Schedules can go way off during the school holidays - waking up late, having supper, extended playing time on the iPad or computer. All it takes is a little structure to get back into the swing of things because after all, kids thrive on routine.

3. Keep the Memories Alive

Embrace the activities that the family did together during the school holidays by watching the videos and photos taken. Quiz the kids on which activity they loved most about the holidays and have them share what they have learned from it. Taking time to reminisce and appreciate your best-loved moments during the school holidays will only make them understand how precious memories are.

4. Explore Singapore

Take the opportunity to view Singapore from a tourist's perspective. Look for undiscovered places that you and your family can visit together. (Psst, if you need help, I have compiled the perfect list for you HERE.) Make an effort to bring your kids to somewhere new - it can be a park, an outdoor playground or even a trip to the wet market - at least once a month.

And since you were most probably to have been on leave during some part of the school holidays, it is likely that a favourite part of the holidays for kids was all the exclusive time they got to spend with you so be sure to continue with that!

5. Have Something to Look Forward To

Although the surefire way to combat post-holiday blues is to book another vacation immediately, there are other less costly ways to ensure that the kids have something to look forward to in the next few months. Events like birthday parties, monthly play dates with friends, or the start of music or art classes. Offering reminders about the good things to come refocuses the kids on the future, and in turn will help them deal with the present.

Do you have any tips on how to overcome post-holiday blues? Feel free to share them in the comments below!