Written by Erin Satran, MS Ed., RBT
Oh, it’s September. The fall weather, sweater weather as a lot of people like to call it. Apple picking, pumpkins, light jackets – such a fun time of year. But for a lot of parents, this time of year is completely dreaded. It can be especially hard for a special needs child to ensure all of these changes at once and be able to easily transition to a new schedule. Back to school, back to a routine, back to waking up earlier, back to making school lunches. The craziness begins. Well here are some helpful tips to make sure you do not lose your mind this fall as we get back into the swing of things.
To make your life easier, here are top 5 tips to get started
1. Communicate about schedule changes! Make sure you communicate with your child about the change in scheduling before it happens. They should know something is about to change and why and most importantly, have a say in the process. Let them know they can tell you how they feel about it so that you both can set expectations together.
2. Help prepare with a Social Story or script. Write a social story with your child to practice doing things like saying hi to their teacher and friends, how to join a group of kids playing, or how to ask for something they need in the classroom appropriately. Practice these in different role-play scenarios to make them comfortable doing them independently. Anxiety can be a huge trigger for kids in social situations and it can escalate quickly to problem behavior. This can be avoided by knowing those triggers and using positive reinforcement to encourage your child to keep going.
3. Make buying new things a fun activity. Sometimes when you go to the store in July and see the Back to School section you want to put a fork in your eye. But it can be a fun activity for your child at any time during the fall. Let them pick a new sensory toy, like a fidget or squishy ball. Have them choose a new pencil or supply box with cool designs and colors. Maybe even a new shirt with a cool logo on it that they can wear in the first few days of school. If you already know the teacher, even picking out a small gift or making something with your child can be fun! The idea is to build up excitement and give them something to look forward to in the classroom.
4. Communication is key! Send a quick hello to those teachers early on to let them know you are their partner! This is a two-way street and we are in it together. Let the teacher know any tidbits of information or tricks for helping your child adjust to the start of school. Be clear that you are there to support them and will address any issues that may come up on time. This will aid them in working with your child and they will appreciate this small gesture so much!
5. Create a Routine – work on getting your family into a consistent routine that balances school and play! All kids are tired and usually hungry when they come home from school. Having a healthy snack and some downtime before jumping into homework, therapy, and after-school activities can help your night be most successful!
With these steps in place, you can ensure that your child will have an easy and smooth transition back to school. If you are struggling with your back-to-school routine and need help putting a plan in place, STEPS Behavioral Health can help!
