Experts Warn That Children May Need More Downtime, Not More Activities, Before the New School Year Begins.
As UAE schools prepare to reopen following the long summer break, educators and psychologists are advising parents not to turn the final days of the holidays into a last-minute rush to get everything done.
For some families, the countdown to the new school year has become a race to complete holiday homework, catch up on tuition, resume extracurricular activities and reset sleep schedules — all while children may still be recovering from weeks of travel or a more relaxed summer routine.
For working parents getting ready to return to their own routines, the pressure can be even greater. Reading, revision, tuition work and missed sports or music sessions can quickly pile up, leaving children with little time to simply relax and recharge before school starts.
Experts say this approach may be counterproductive. A child who returns to school rested and emotionally prepared may be better equipped for the demands of a new academic year than one who spends the final days of summer racing through an overloaded checklist.
Khaleej Times spoke to parents, school leaders and psychologists about the back-to-school rush and how much preparation children actually need.
‘A Lot to Squeeze Into These Last Few Days’
For Moldovan mother Elena Rusu, whose son is in Year 6 at a Dubai school, returning from a month-long holiday has brought a familiar back-to-school challenge: unfinished work and limited time to complete it.
Her son had barely started his tuition homework before the family left for their holiday and now needs to catch up just as Rusu prepares to return to work. English grammar, in particular, requires her support, adding to the pressure.
“I know I’m going to be pressed for time once work starts again,” she said.
The academic catch-up is only part of the challenge. Her son’s early-morning tennis sessions are resuming, while guitar lessons are also due to begin next week.
“He’s also realised he hasn’t practised much over the summer, while a lot of the homework from his tuition teacher is still unfinished. Suddenly, there’s a lot to squeeze into these last few days before school starts.”
Indian expat Neha Bhagwat is facing a similar balancing act with her older child, who is in Grade 10. For her, the final weeks of the holiday carry added importance as her son enters the senior years of school.
“Last few weeks before school begins are always a challenge because there is so much to get done,” she said. “My older one is in Grade 10, and he has quite a bit of reading and revision to complete, along with his holiday homework.”
At the same time, Bhagwat recognises the importance of giving children time to unwind. While not all academic work is compulsory, she believes staying engaged is increasingly important during the senior school years.
“At the same time, we’re trying to make sure he gets some downtime before the routine starts again,” she said.
That balancing act — making the most of the final days while allowing children to genuinely switch off — is familiar to many families.
‘Learning Will Come’: Schools Urge Families to Slow Down
Natalia Svetenok, Principal of Woodlem British School, Ajman, advised parents against turning the final days of summer into an extension of the classroom.
“We know that a busy holiday is not always a restful one,” she said. “Children sometimes return carrying tiredness into the classroom: shorter attention, lower patience, less curiosity.”
Rather than adding academic pressure, she recommends focusing on restoring basic routines.
“In the final weeks, parents do not need to turn home into school. Reset sleep, restore routine, read together, talk, move, laugh, and leave some space for boredom.”
Alan Cocker, Principal of The British International School Abu Dhabi, similarly encouraged parents to value the summer break itself. Holidays give children time to spend with family, explore new experiences and develop independence and curiosity.
“The final weeks of the summer holidays should still be enjoyed,” he said. “There is no need to rush children back into ‘school mode’ overnight or fill every day with preparation.”
Instead, Cocker recommends a gradual transition by bringing back earlier bedtimes and wake-up times, regular meals and familiar family routines.
“These small adjustments help children arrive at school feeling rested, confident, and ready to embrace the opportunities ahead,” he said.
Parents concerned about disrupted summer routines can also take some reassurance from the fact that children are generally adaptable. A few weeks of later nights or reduced structure do not necessarily mean they will struggle when school resumes.
Cocker also suggested keeping conversations about school positive, particularly for children starting at a new school or entering a different educational stage.
“Children often borrow our confidence, so when the adults around them are calm, optimistic, and excited, they are much more likely to feel the same.”
Doctors Advise Against Hyper-Academic Drilling
For Dr Alexandre Machado, Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist and Advanced Neuromodulation Specialist at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital, the issue goes beyond managing schedules.
He said cramming tutoring, camps and catch-up work into the final weeks can sometimes reflect parental anxiety rather than a child’s actual academic needs.
“Cramming the final weeks of summer with intense tutoring, camps, and catch-up work is rarely about the child’s actual academic needs,” he said. “Instead, it is a symptom of modern parental anxiety.”
Machado said parents should focus instead on developing responsibility, discipline and the ability to manage frustration, rather than trying to compensate for every unfinished task by packing more activities into the schedule.
“The objective must never be hyper-academic drilling, but rather fostering responsibility with tolerance for frustration, teaching discipline, and demonstrating the benefits of consistency.”
He also cautioned against a common end-of-summer pattern in which children are given extensive screen time during the holidays before parents suddenly turn to tutors, camps and specialists as school approaches.
“A major contradiction arises when parents permit free, unrestricted access to iPads and smartphones for hours on end throughout the summer… only to panic at the end of August,” he said.
His message to parents is to focus on the routines and habits built at home rather than expecting outside activities to solve every challenge.
“Parents must understand a fundamental truth: the vast majority of the work and the most crucial parenting tasks must be done by them.”
