You thought it had gone.

All summer, your child seemed lighter. The knots in their stomach had eased, the edge in their voice had softened, and for the first time in months, you saw them again – laughing, playing, being their true self. You told yourself the anxiety had passed.

Then September arrived like a storm.

Why the Calm of Summer Disappears

Many children with anxious tendencies experience a kind of recovery during the summer holidays. It’s not magic, and it’s not coincidence. It’s their nervous system finally returning to baseline. Without the daily pressures of school – the academic demands, the tricky peer dynamics, the teacher they struggle with – their stress response quietens down.

Add to that the increase in play over the summer and it’s no wonder they feel better. Play isn’t just fun, it’s essential. It’s how children learn, grow and regulate themselves. In fact, play is so fundamental that even adults should be doing it – yet our education system shifts children away from this natural, exploratory learning into something far more rigid.

Play helps children return to who they really are.

The September Shock

And then… school starts again. The alarm clock shatters their slow mornings, their freedom is replaced by timetables, and they’re thrown back into environments that may not suit their personality or learning style. For some, this is more than just an adjustment – it’s an injustice.

They’ve had a taste of balance, only to be told they must once again become someone they are not. That resistance often shows up as anxiety. Sometimes it’s obvious – tears, stomach aches, refusal to go in. Other times it’s subtle – irritability, withdrawal, sudden changes in mood.

The real challenge isn’t erasing school pressures, it’s teaching children how to cope with them.

When a child learns coping strategies, they learn to keep hold of themselves – even when the environment tries to shape them into something they’re not.

Helping Children Adapt Without Losing Themselves

At NLP4Kids, we recognise that for some children, school will always be a challenging fit. Our role isn’t to fight the system on their behalf, but to equip them with tools to navigate it. We teach them how to manage the grief of leaving their summer self behind, and the discomfort that comes with fitting into a structure that wasn’t designed for them.

This is the same kind of skillset that’s vital for anyone starting a coaching franchise – the ability to work within structures while staying true to your own style. Our practitioners know that when children have these strategies, they’re not just surviving the school year – they’re building resilience for life.

Anxiety doesn’t have to mean avoidance. It can become the starting point for confidence, adaptability and growth.

The Work That Changes Futures

Every September, we see children return to us with the same patterns. And every year, we see those patterns change when the right strategies are in place. If you’ve noticed your child’s anxiety creeping back after the holidays, don’t wait for it to “settle” – often, it doesn’t.

Instead, give them the chance to learn the skills they need to keep their confidence steady, their nervous system balanced, and their sense of self intact. This is the work our NLP4Kids coaching franchise does every day – and it’s the work that can change your child’s future.

by Gemma Bailey (with the help of Ai)

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