Week 5 in my series of tools and techniques to help children and young people through times of transition.
By now, most children and young people will have returned to school or other educational settings. The first few weeks can still feel like a balancing act – new routines, classroom expectations, and social dynamics all coming together. It’s a time when children are practising resilience, learning how to cope with small challenges, and discovering that they can navigate change successfully.
This article is the fifth part of my six-week series of articles focussed on supporting children and young people through times of transition.
-> Not All Change Feels Exciting – Supporting Children & Young People Through Transition
-> Week 1 – Helping Children Process Their Feelings
-> Week 2 – Helping Children Feel Ready for the New School Year
-> Week 3 – Visualisation & Grounding Techniques
-> Week 4 – The First Days of Term
So far – week by week – we’ve explored colour breathing; practical preparations; visualisation & grounding and techniques to deal with the first days of term. Now we are going to look at how us trying to ‘fix’ things is often not the best answer – instead ‘mini problem-solving moments’, celebrating successes and building confidence can help.
Mini Problem-Solving Moments
These ‘moments’ are a way to supporting children and young people in building their resilience. Instead of stepping in to ‘fix’ every issue, encourage them to think through small challenges themselves. For example….
A Younger Child: might figure out the order of their homework or how to pack their bag efficiently.
An Older Child/Teen: could plan how to tackle a tricky assignment or manage their time between school and other commitments.
Asking open-ended questions like: “What’s one step you could try first?” or “What options do you have?” helps them see that they have the skills to work things out. The key is to celebrate effort and progress rather than perfection.
Social Confidence
The first weeks often bring new classmates, teachers, or social groups and social confidence is another important part of early-term resilience.
For Children Who Feel Shy/Uncertain: small steps make a difference – saying hello to someone new, joining a club, or simply finding a familiar face at breaktime.
For Older Children/Teens: discussing scenarios they might find tricky, or role-playing how to handle them, gives them a sense of preparedness. It’s also helpful to remind them to look out for themselves online and offline, recognising when to seek support or step back.
Success Logs
Finally, helping children notice their own strengths and achievements can build confidence that lasts beyond the first days. You might encourage them to reflect on one thing they did well each day, or for older children and teens, keep a simple ‘success log’ – a place to jot down moments they overcame challenges, acted kindly, or accomplished something new.
Over time, these reflections help them internalise the message that they can handle change, and that small wins add up to real progress.
Providing support in this way during the first weeks back provides a foundation for resilience, independence, and confidence. It ties together the skills we’ve explored in previous weeks – processing emotions, grounding, visualisation, and managing energy – and shows children how to apply them in real life.
If you’ve tried strategies like mini problem-solving or success logging with a child or young person in your life, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you – please share in the comments or send me a message!
