Social Emotional Learning Skills That Support a Smooth Re-Entry The Post-Break Shock Is Real After winter break, emotional regulation can feel harder for kids — especially as they transition back into routines and expectations. Sleep schedules shift. Routines loosen. Screens increase. Emotions run a little closer to the surface. So when children return to school or structured learning environments, what we often see isn’t defiance — it’s transition stress . And yet, the first

“Just try harder next time.” It sounds reasonable. Responsible, even. And yet… it rarely works. As adults, we often default to phrases like do better , make better choices , or you know better than that  — especially when kids (or teens) repeat the same behaviors we’ve already addressed. But here’s the truth most people don’t realize: Wanting to do better and knowing how  to do better are two very different things. And kids — even well-intentioned ones — are often missing the