It’s that time of year! After a month and a half of little to no emails from teachers, those Back to School Night emails are starting to come in. But wait, school does not start for another three to four weeks – why are we getting these emails now?!? Sometimes these emails may serve as a reminder to parents that the school year is quickly approaching, but it also signals something else for families of neurodiverse children – its a warning that now is the time to start getting back into the school routines!

Neurodivergent children often require additional layers of preparation than a neurotypical child would need for the start of the school year and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Every child is different and has different needs, but regardless of their needs the key to a successful start of the school year is a strong foundation. Below are some of our tips to help your child ease into the new school year with confidence, comfort and enthusiasm!

1. Re-Establish Routines Early

Structure and predicability are essential for many neurodiverse children and it really makes a difference! We wrote an article about setting routines for children and the benefits of creating routines which can be read here.

About two to three weeks before school starts:

• Bed Times & Waking Up: Begin working on re-establishing school year bedtime and waking up routines, if needed.
• Meals & Screen Time: One of the largest differences children face during school is that they may not have as frequent access to snacks or devices. Get a jump on this by establishing structured & scheduled mealtimes and setting screen time limits.
• Schedules: The school day is often heavily structured to create routines. Help prepare your child by using visual schedules or timers around home to help them anticipate transitions throughout the day.

👉 Pro tip: Create a visual daily schedule the can check off or interact with. It can help reduce anxiety and also helps build independence!

2. Practice the New School Environment

This may not apply to everyone, but if you are starting at a new school or the school had renovations over the summer consider some of these suggestions as a new environment can be stressful for all children. This kind of exposure helps reduce fear of the unknown and can help your child feel more in control.

• Attend Sneak-A-Peak Nights: Many schools offer some kind of meet and greet for new families; if your school does this take advantage of it and take your child! While you may not be able to have a long discussion with the new teacher, just being able to see the classroom and school a few times before the first day back can make a difference
• Drop Off and Pick Up: Don’t wait until the first day of school to practice drop off and pick up, especially if they are being transported by a bus. Make sure your child knows where their drop off and pick up location is, and feels safe.
• Locate Sensory Friendly Spots: The first few days will likely have some strong emotions for both the child and their parents. Knowing ahead of time a location or two for your child to go to and feel safe is a great idea. These can be anything from knowing the classroom has a preferred calm down corner or a quiet space near the drop off area to reduce overwhelming them.

3. Communicate with your Child’s Team

Open communication with your child’s entire school team is key to a great year for all children. This will allow the school team to guide your child through the school year and make sure you kept informed of their progress

• IEP & 504 Plans: Keep in mind that teachers often have multiple students in their class with IEP and 504 plans. This means the teachers have to learn new plans every year so it is a great idea to make sure any plans in place are known and utilized from day one if possible.
• Introduce Your Child: Consider introducing your child to their teacher or special education team and share some information about your child, such as personal interests; this will help the new team connect with your child.
• Discuss Strategies: A new year means a new teacher with possibly new strategies. It is a great idea to discuss any known sensory sensitivities, triggers, calming strategies and preferred communication methods with the schools team early on so they do not need to spend a lot of time learning it on their own.

👉 Pro tip: A “Get to Know Me” may be an oldie, but it’s a great way to share information about your child to their school team. Even if they know your child already, it is a great way to share updates as well!

4. Prepare Emotionally Through Play and Conversation 

Make sure to set some time aside to talk with your child to explain what they should expect. Using books, role play or social stories are three great methods to incorporate play with telling them what to expect. Some things to consider going over are:

• School Rules: School rules are often not the same as at home. Consider introducing school routines like raising a hand, asking for help or using quiet voices when inside. 
• Social Expectations: Just like school rules, some social expectations do not typically apply at home. Make sure to explore common school scenarios like walking in line, sharing, asking for breaks and waiting for a turn to name a few.

5. Plan for the Sensory Shift

One major change that neurodivergent children face when going from being home over summer and the school year is the major difference in environments. Schools can often be noisy, bright and a little hectic at times making them overwhelming to some children. Try to prepare for this shift by using some of these techniques

• Communicate with the Team: Reach out to their teacher and see what sensory options they may already have present at options. If possible, discuss options such as the use of noise cancelling headphones or fidget toys if appropriate. Ask if and how sensory breaks are incorporated into the day.
• Provide Sensory Support Kits: Sometimes a familiar object from home can be all a child needs to calm down. Consider asking the teacher if you can send in a familiar sensory object like a chewy necklace or sunglasses. Just make sure that it is easily replaceable if it is lost or damaged at the school.

6. Support for You – The Parent

Transitions can be hard for children, but it can be just as challenging for their care givers. Be kind to yourself and just remember change is hard for everyone and in the end, as long as you are supportive and caring, your child will have a great year! Here are some tips for additional caregiver support

• Connect with other parents in the class or consider joining local support groups.
• Ensure you schedule time for yourself and self care! You need to rest as well.
• Keep in touch with your child’s school team. If you are having a stressful time at home, some teachers may be willing to share successful strategies they use in the classroom for your child.

Finally

Every child’s path and needs are unique and “success” looks different for every family. One family might consider success as having their child leaving for school without crying, while another considers just waking up in time for the bus a success. What matters most is creating a school transition that meets your child’s needs, fosters growth, and builds trust with their school team. 

You are also not alone in this journey and there are many resources available.The best resource will usually be the child’s school support team, but if they attend child care or have a doctor that they see regularly they also are great resources.