Co-written by Hearth After-School Experts Callie Christensen and Kelly Oriard of Slumberkins and the Hearth Team
The Emotional Shift of Back-to-School
Picture this: It’s officially fall, school is in full swing, you’re juggling a coffee, a backpack, and a lunchbox, while your five-year-old refuses to put on their socks — again. You feel your blood pressure rise. They crumble into a puddle of frustration. Sound familiar?
These moments aren’t really about socks. They’re about new teachers, unfamiliar routines, social shifts and most importantly, emotions: excitement, nervousness, sadness, overwhelm. Big transitions like back-to-school stir up all sorts of feelings in little bodies — and in caregivers too.
After a day of keeping it together at school, kids tend to let their feelings out where they feel safest: home. Hearth and Slumberkins are here to help families navigate these emotional shifts with structure, support, and connection.
Why Routines Matter for Emotional Wellness
Children thrive when they know what to expect.
Predictable routines help:
- Create emotional security
- Reduce anxiety and uncertainty
- Build confidence and independence
When kids understand the flow of their day, their nervous systems can stay regulated. Instead of reacting to chaos, they can focus on learning, playing, and connecting. These routines aren’t just about getting dressed or packing lunch — they’re moments to check in, breathe, and nurture emotional growth.
How Hearth Supports Families
Hearth brings routines to life in a visual, kid-friendly, and emotionally supportive way:
- Family calendars kids can follow
- Task visuals tailored to young learners
- Built-in emotional check-ins for reflection
Today’s Feelings, Hearth’s newest feature, gives children a safe space to name and share how they feel each day. By acknowledging emotions before the day begins, children feel seen, understood, and ready to engage with the world. Plus, it provides caregivers with further insight into their child’s world.
Where Slumberkins Steps In
Slumberkins book’s help families address the emotions that linger, their expertise helps families:
- Acknowledge and validate what your child is feeling
- Offer emotional language and tools through creatures and stories
- Build a routine of care and connection that your child can rely on
When children check in with feelings like “sad” or “worried,” Slumberkins provides the language, tools, and stories to validate emotions and model coping strategies. Over time, children learn that feelings are okay — and that they have a safe place and routine for support.
Whether it’s through a bedtime story with Bigfoot for a confidence boost, Hammerhead for understanding big emotions, or Otter for emotional connection.
Bonus: Routines Build Important Life Skills
Beyond helping the morning flow, these routines nurture:
- Resilience (Sloth reminds us to rest and recharge)
- Confidence (Bigfoot reinforces self-worth)
- Boundary-setting (Lynx helps children express their needs)
- Emotional expression (Hammerhead supports healthy anger release)
Together, Hearth and Slumberkins create habits and practices that organize the day and cultivate emotional growth.
We See You Caregivers
Transitions affect caregivers as much as kids. Feeling stretched or anxious is normal. Using Hearth’s Routines feature and Slumberkins tools creates space for joy, reflection, and connection — supporting emotional regulation for the whole family.
Let’s start this fall with intention, calm, and connection. You’ve got this — and we’ve got you.
