If you look around, you’ll notice that all of the big department stores have started advertising for Back-to-School. This can be an exciting time of the year for many children. For some though, especially children with ADHD and autism, this can cause a great deal of anxiety.
Parents may worry about how their kids may be academically and socially. They may even wonder about if their child will get any 1-1 support.
Students will more than likely worry about who their teacher will be and if they’ll get along with each other. Will they make or have any friends this year or will they be the target of bullying? Will they be able to manage an entire day of school?
When a child with ADHD and autism is required to move to a new class, the predictable schedule now becomes unpredictable because of some many unknowns. These are some of the reasons that many children find the transition from one grade to another so daunting.
The following strategies will help you and your child with ADHD and autism gain back some control and feel more ready for the new school year.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Take a School Trip
Contact the principal and see if you can set up an appointment to meet your child’s new teacher. Even though most schools prefer not to release this information ahead of time, for a child who is struggling with anxiety because of ADHD or autism, they will generally make an exception if the teacher is available.
Introduce yourself and your child to the new teacher, show your child where they will be seated and talk to the teacher about any concerns or worries you may have. Also, tell the teacher something exciting about your child or one thing that they’re really interested in so that the teacher can build a connection with your child immediately. This will put some of your fears to rest.
Take a camera with you so that you can take pictures of where your child is seated, how they can go to the bathroom, and if the teacher is comfortable with it, a picture of them. This will give your child time to adjust to their new environment
#2. Go Shopping
First shop in your home. Take inventory of what school supplies you have and what you need. Then take your child shopping with you so that your child has some agency in starting their new school year.
You don’t have to break the bank with this one. Go to your local Dollar Store as they tend to have a lot of wonderful Back-to-School supplies, like notebooks, pens, pencils, pencil crayons, markers, erasers, binders, and so forth.
#3. Create a Routine
Create a visual schedule of what your child’s day will be like at home and at school so that they are ready for the day. You can even start practicing in advance to create a solid routine.
For an easy to put together visual schedule, CLICK HERE or on the following image.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The reasons why it’s important to get your child with ADHD and autism ready for the new school year.
- Three ways to get your child with ADHD or autism ready for the new school year: take a school trip, go shopping, and create a routine.
Free Resources:
If your children are struggling to hand in assignments on time, check out the following video training: 3 Steps to Teach Children How to Overcome Procrastination to Increase Productivity.
Next Steps:
For calm down areas on a budget, for your students who have autism, CLICK HERE.
You’re welcome to join us inside ADHD and Autism Self Regulation by CLICKING HERE or on the fallowing image.
If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favor? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!
I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully. Since ADHD and autism are a spectrum, make sure to adapt these strategies for your individual child. Thank you!
