Back-to-school time can be an anxious time for some kids and caregivers alike — and possibly even more so if your child has special needs. The good news is: There are things you can do to help soothe some of those anxieties. A little preparation before it’s time to walk through those big doors on the first day goes a long way.
Visit the School Beforehand
Don’t wait until the first day to walk through the school. Most schools have a back-to-school night for kids to familiarize themselves with the school and their schedule, but those can be overstimulating and overwhelming for some. If this is your child’s first year in this building, consider contacting the principal or guidance counselor to see if you and your child can walk the halls and see their classroom on a different day.
Show your child where they will eat lunch, where the front office is located, and where the nurse’s office is. If they are going into middle or high school, try opening the locker and walking to each of the classrooms in the order of the schedule. This knowledge will hopefully make your child feel confident and ease some of those first day jitters.
Meet the Teacher
Setting up a one-on-one meeting with the teacher might also be something to consider. During this meeting, your child can get to know more about the classroom, and you can share any concerns and important information about your child.
Schedule the IEP or 504 Meeting Early
During this meeting, you will go over all your child’s accommodations with teachers, administrators, a caseworker and counselors, and come up with a plan for the academic year. This plan is reviewed every year to see if the accommodations are working to help your child thrive. Contact the school during the summer to see if meeting before school is possible. Schools can be slammed this time of year, so getting that meeting on the calendar as soon as possible is advised.
Go Over the School Schedule
Change can be hard and scary. Sometimes, just knowing what the day will look like can help. Ask your child’s teacher to share a schedule of the day with you prior to the first day of school. Talk this through with your child and explain step-by-step what their day will look like. It can help to tape the schedule to your child’s wall for them to see before school, and maybe even make a copy they can carry with them in case they get anxious and want to know what’s next.
Communicate Frequently
A little communication can go a long way. If you are concerned about your child’s behavior, such as whether they are eating lunch, making friends, using the restroom independently, following the rules, or just want to know what went well in the day and what didn’t, then consider sending home a checklist for the teacher to fill out. You can start with daily and move to weekly or even as needed as the year goes on and comfort begins to settle in.
These are just a few things that you can do to help ease the transition from carefree summer days back to the scheduled days of school. Through it all, be confident that you know your child best and are the best advocate for them. Keep the lines of communication open and strong, and know that if you try something and it isn’t working well, you can always go back and try something else.
