Adjusting to a new school year can be quite a challenge for any child and brings with it a few additional hurdles when there are already, perhaps, communication, anxiety and/or sensory barriers to consider as well. There are a few things we can try to implement to make the transitioning a little smoother...for everyone :
Make use of a calendar:
Put up a calendar which clearly marks on which day school starts and, together with your child, count down each day to the start of school. Trying to incorporate a little animated excitement into each day's counting off might arouse a spurt of intrigue from your child too.
Get a headstart on the new routines:
Where possible, introduce the new morning and evening routines some time before the actual start of school. If your schedule allows it, even try implementing additional school activities throughout your day as well...snack time, outside play, etc.
Visual Aids:
Put together a social story about the new routine and upcoming first day and include pictures of the school, teacher and classmates you know are definitely going to be there, where possible.
Anticipate sensitivity triggers
If your child is prone to hypersensitivity when it comes to clothes and shoes, etc. make sure new clothes have been washed at least a couple of times before the first day to soften them up and help incorporate a familiar scent. New shoes should be worn a number of times before then to both familiarise your child with them, as well as to ensure that they will not cause your child any discomfort on the first day.
Is that lunchbox food for thought?
Make sure that your child's lunchbox consists of foods he/she is familiar with as a hungry tummy does little to help first day jitters. Having said this, steering away from sugar-rich snacks and treats (albeit familiar to your child) is of utmost importance - a nutritious, well-balanced diet makes a world of difference to a child's ability to learn, how they manage their emotions and how they process information.
Wind it down
As holiday time runs out, we are sometimes tempted to fit in as many last holiday activities as we can before the grind of the year begins. The first few days of school though are bound to bring with it some sensory overload so ensuring at least two to three days of sensory calm before school starts will go a long way in making sure that your child does not confront their first day still exhausted from the holidays.
Less isn't always more!
When planning your morning routine for (at least) the first week or two, factor in an extra few minutes for those unexpected wobblies. Adding a mad rush as the background theme to your morning will result in a rather stressed out you which will, inevitably, bubble over to the very person you are trying to keep stress-free.
And breathe!
Occasionally the mere idea of confronting that first day has us ten times more stressed out than the actual day's events. If you know you've done all you can to prepare both you and your child then there's little else you can do but breathe and roll with it. And, if there are a couple of bumps on that first day, let's not beat ourselves up about it...we get to do it again the next day...and the next day...AAAAAND...the next day. Practice makes perfect, right?
