The school year is just beginning, yet the temperatures outside make it a bit difficult to switch gears and focus on returning to school. Transitioning from the summertime schedule to the school year schedule creates a wide variety of emotions for both parents and children. Anxiety, frustration, excitement and/or happiness are just a few of the feelings that may be experienced at this time of the year.  For the child who has a disability, these emotions can be more intense, which unfortunately, can impact everyone in the family. How can you and your family get through this transition without experiencing too much stress?

First, breathe and know that you will get through this transition. While taking those deep breaths, accept the fact that this is a transition, and it will be a bit rocky for a period. By accepting it, the stress may not feel as powerful and threatening.

At home, try as best as you can to get into a routine for everyone. The routine creates boundaries, safety, and security. Be realistic with setting this routine, keeping in mind that during the summer months, there probably was either no routine or a very different type of routine.

Make sure to include some down time or a break in which your child can do something that he likes and enjoys. Include this in his routine, with a time limit so that the child knows that while this is fun, it is part of a routine that includes other activities or tasks that need to get done. 

For all children, offering positive feedback and providing compliments for what they are doing or have accomplished goes a long way. For some children, the school setting is one in which they don’t feel nor receive a good deal of positive feedback for a variety of reasons. At home, you want to create a setting in which your child can feel good about himself and increase his self-confidence. Noticing the little things that he has done at home can make such a difference to a child who has had a challenging day.

While setting the routine once the child is home, if possible, give the child some control as to what book he could read to him or he could read to himself before bedtime, or which pajamas he could wear or what snack he could have at night. Giving your child some control allows him to feel in charge rather than always being told what to do. Letting him decide what will be packed in his lunchbox or what he can wear may also provide that “being in charge” feeling. 

Since your child is beginning a new school year, don’t assume that last year’s teacher shared pertinent information with the new teacher about your child. Writing a one-page summary or preparing some kind of a document about your child—what works and what doesn’t work as far as behavior management as well as fears, likes, etc. can be helpful as the teacher is just beginning to know your child. Throughout the year, remember to provide any helpful information to the teacher as you know your child best. Communicating with your child’s teacher should be ongoing. Find out the best way to do this with the teacher without adding stress to the teacher’s life as well as to yours. 

Lastly, remember as you are caring and worrying about your child, (and other members of your family), you need to create time (even if it is for only a brief time) to care for yourself.  If you are constantly caring for everyone else, you are emptying your bucket of energy—you need to refill it….and the only way to do that is taking 5 minutes (hopefully more) to go for a walk, sit by yourself and read the paper or a few pages of a book, or call a friend or take a long hot shower….whatever it is, you have to make time for yourself. Some days might be more challenging in finding that time but remember it doesn’t have to be for a very long time—because that won’t always be available to you.  Just do something ….and say in your mind, “ this is how I am caring for myself today”. Saying it goes a long way. 

At all times, remember to breathe!