The post-holiday stress and the return to school of the children

The vacation ends and the return to work arrives. These days there is a lot of talk about post holiday stress syndrome, but Does the post vacation stress syndrome really exist? Yes it does exist, and we usually call it Post-vacation Syndrome. In the consultations of psychologists we treat more and m

The vacation ends and the return to work arrives. These days there is a lot of talk about post holiday stress syndrome, but Does the post vacation stress syndrome really exist?

Yes it does exist, and we usually call it Post-vacation Syndrome. In the consultations of psychologists we treat more and more patients suffering from this syndrome. The frequency increases, at the same time that living conditions, especially in large cities, are becoming increasingly difficult.

Symptoms of post-holiday syndrome

It is normal that when returning from vacation, people feel sad and apathetic; people are not machines and we notice the change when we join our daily activity; we expect a lot of work, tensions, problems, routines ...; that is, an agenda full of obligations. The shock is too brutal and our body accuses it, changing schedules, customs and activities, and the worst is that they do so to make way for a lot of obligations, not always pleasant.

Among others we can highlight the following symptoms:

- generalized weakness
- demotivation
- anguish
- irritability
- loss of appetite
- decreased ability to concentrate
- mood swings

You can even somatize with intestinal discomfort or gastric, headache, insomnia ..., but the most worrying without a doubt is a deep sense of sadness, apathy and lack of strength.

End of the holidays and back to school for the children

In short, most of the children will join the school, they have also had to change their schedules and their holiday habits to the school rhythm, but children are very sensitive to changes, they adapt much better to new situations; however, they also need a short period of adaptation, so that they can resume their habitual habits, their rest hours and can slow down their holiday rhythm.

How to help the child so that the return to school is not traumatic?

We must emphasize the positive of going back to school, they will see their friends again, they will play with them at recess, they will be able to continue with the extracurricular activities that they like ... When they get 'silly,' saying that they do not want to go to school. cole, who want to continue on vacation, we will automatically change the subject by asking them what they have played in the playground, what their classmate is called, if there are new children in class ...; so that we divert their attention to the positive aspects of returning to the classroom.

It is important that parents serve as an example to their children, we can not forget that children learn mainly by modeling, so if they see that their main models adapt quickly and positively to their daily lives, it will be easier for them .