As summer draws to a close, preparing your child for the new school year is crucial, especially for children with special needs. Children with disabilities may struggle with transitioning from the summer to going back to school. This could be due to the difficulty they may have with changing routine, with the overwhelming sensory input they experience at school, with social pressures, and many other factors. Despite these potential challenges, children with disabilities can experience an enjoyable and successful back to school transition. Let’s explore some detailed strategies to ensure a smooth transition back to school.
Discuss the upcoming school year with your child. Explain what to expect in their new grade level and address any concerns they might have. This proactive approach helps children understand what is expected of them, reducing anxiety and improving readiness. Having open communication with your child can help ease some of their anxiety about going back to school. It also helps create an environment which allows them to express their feelings and their concerns which gives parents an opportunity to validate their child’s experiences.
Visiting the school before it starts can greatly benefit your child. Even if they are returning to the same school, new classrooms and teachers can be daunting. Touring the school, particularly the new classroom, and meeting the teacher in advance can make the first day less intimidating. Familiarity with the environment and the people can significantly ease anxiety. You might also be able to physically walk with your child through their daily schedule. This could be a great practice opportunity for helping your child to get more comfortable with the upcoming daily routine.
Using visual aids can build excitement and provide a clear timeline for your child. Visual tools are especially effective for children with autism (autism spectrum disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) as they help set expectations and build routines. An example of using visual aids is crossing off days on a calendar. By using a calendar with your child, you help them to visually process time and schedule changes. This will likely help your child to more effectively manage changes to their schedule and can even help with reducing anxiety about upcoming events as they are able to anticipate the upcoming event.
Another visual aid that may be helpful is to create a daily routine which is visually displayed in picture and/or text format using a visual display that is appropriate for your child. You may consider creating a visual daily routine that is similar to your child’s school schedule and having your child follow the routine before school starts. Then, when school starts, your child can more easily follow their daily routine since they have already been practicing the past few weeks of summer.
A creative idea for helping kids transition back to school is to create a photo book of key areas in the school, including the classroom, locker, lunchroom, pick-up line, bus line, and restrooms. Reviewing these pictures with your child and discussing what they will do at each location can help them feel more comfortable and prepared. This can also be very helpful for children with autism who struggle with vocal communication. The visual images of the locations they should be familiar with can help them become familiar with what is expected of them at school and also ease some of their anxiety about having to attend an unfamiliar school setting.
Once school begins, stay engaged with your child’s progress. Ensure their Individualized Education Program (IEP) is in place and that the teacher is aware of any accommodations needed. Regularly attending parent meetings can provide valuable insights into how your child is adjusting and progressing. By closely monitoring progress, especially at the beginning of the school year, you can help make sure your child starts off on the right track and if any issues do arise, you can work with school staff to address these concerns before they become more problematic.
Keeping all special education documents organized in a binder or drawer ensures they are easily accessible when needed. This preparedness is crucial for meetings and updates regarding your child’s education plan. This recommendation will help you, as a parent, stay organized and prepared in case anything arises which requires you to review your child’s IEP, their school schedule, or other important documents.
Rehearse activities your child will encounter at school, such as packing a lunch box, waiting in line, and, for older children, using a locker combination. Practicing these routines at home can build confidence and reduce anxiety. By giving children extra practice on skills they will need to be more independent at school, you are helping to make the transition back to school easier for them as they will have less stress and things won’t be as difficult as they otherwise might be.
A consistent bedtime and morning routine are vital for a smooth school transition. Start adjusting your child’s sleep schedule at least a week before school begins. If school has already started, one strategy you could try to help your child get on the ideal sleep schedule is to gradually adjust bedtime by 15 minutes each day until the desired schedule is achieved. Having enough quality sleep can positively affect all other aspects of your child’s day.
These tips aim to make the school year a success for your child. Remember, these strategies can also be revisited after extended breaks, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, to help maintain consistency and ease transitions throughout the school year. By implementing some proactive strategies and staying observant and supportive during the transition back to school, you can greatly improve your child’s success with the transition to the new school year.
