School holidays are a time of joy and freedom, but they can also bring unexpected changes in kids’ mood and behaviour. These shifts are common both before and after the holidays.
It all comes down to the instability young people face during these transition periods. Transitions disrupt routines, but young people thrive on predictability.
Holidays mean late nights, different eating habits and less structure. Returning to school means re-adjusting to expectations, schedules and social dynamics.
Therefore, leading into the holidays, your child may have tested the boundaries, broken the rules and succumbed to distraction in anticipation of holiday freedom.
As the holidays progress, you may be noticing mood swings from overstimulation because of busy days filled with festive gatherings, or boredom because of too much downtime.
When your young person is gearing up to return to school, they may show reluctance, anxiety, tiredness or even sudden clinginess.
These are signs of adjustment, not signs of failure. It’s important to support them to adapt. But how?
Routines are a good place to start. Adjusting bedtimes, mealtimes and morning routines before school resumes is a simple but effective way to get young people back into the school rhythm.
It also helps to talk openly about feelings, acknowledging that transitions can feel hard and inviting your child to share what they’re excited about or worried about. Balancing activity and rest is equally important. Holidays can be busy and overstimulating, so creating quiet moments for reading, drawing or simply relaxing helps restore calm.
Creating connection points through family rituals such as shared meals, evening walks or game nights reminds children that stability and belonging start at home. And remember, young people watch how adults handle change, so modelling calm transitions teaches them that change can be managed with patience and consistency.
At Impact Community ACADEMY, we believe that behaviour issues are indicators that students are struggling to communicate their thoughts or feelings. With the ‘Wellbeing First’ framework at the core of our approach, we understand and support students as they navigate times of transition.
When we support children through these shifts, we’re not just helping them go back and forth between school and holidays; we’re building their resilience and confidence to navigate life’s many transitions.
By Jenna Auer, Impact Community ACADEMY Principal
