Back to School Checklist by Connie Hammer

[Guest guest]

The Essential Back to School ChecklistBy Connie

Parent Coaching for Autism Site

Going to school is part of life’s journey in our society and whatever way we choose to get our education, we all want the ride to be smooth. When traveling we don’t want our plane ride to be bumpy or our boat ride to be rocky but sometimes what we want doesn’t always pan out. When an airplane pilot develops problems flying an aircraft or a sea captain experiences difficulty with his ship it could be due to a number of things but most likely both of them will run through a checklist to determine the cause.

Having a checklist will help anyone tackle a challenge with more confidence. Depending on all the qualities that make your child unique and where he or she falls on the Autism spectrum your back to school experience will differ from every other parent. If you are experiencing turbulence or rough seas in your household as you try to settle into a new back to school routine here is a checklist for you to refer to that may help you identify some adjustments that will create a smoother transition.

- Have you been talking about school in a positive manner? When talking about school with your child on the autism spectrum, it is always important to set up a positive attitude before and after it begins. Talking to them in the affirmative regarding teachers, friends and schoolwork will help them maintain a positive perspective and relieve any anxieties that might exist. If despite your positive attitude, your child is not enthused about the school year, focus on activities and events they find interesting, such as sports, arts, clubs, field trips, etc. If you really need to dig deep try to find something positive to say about what will happen after school.

- Did you and your child schedule a private meeting with the teacher? If your child is exceptionally anxious about the start of a new school year and the changes that are involved, making a fifteen to twenty minute appointment to talk to the new teacher will help. The opportunity to have a private audience with the teacher to go over schedules and expectations as well as the chance to ask questions without other students around can give any child a gigantic jumpstart and sense of relief.

- Are you using a back to school calendar? If not, consider creating a special back-to-school calendar. Depending on your child’s interest in arts and crafts, this can be a fun process that the two of you can do together. You may want to use words or pictures to indicate what will happen on each day of the week. If you need more room and can’t find a calendar big enough, such as a wall calendar, make a book that has a page or two or for every day of the week. Reading the book or looking at the calendar can help your child transition better from day to day.

- Have you held a family meeting about school? In addition to talking about school to your child individually, it’s great to hold a family meeting so that everyone gets a chance to share their thoughts and feelings as well as discuss and plan for the week ahead. Meeting as a group sends the message that you are all in this together and that you care about each individual’s experience. If you have never held a family meeting before, this is good time to start.

- Are you paying attention to your child’s sleep habits? If you weren’t able to address changes in daily routines, such as bedtime well enough in advance this could be the cause of any stress related behaviors that might be occurring. One cannot stress the importance of sleep and its impact on brain development, mood and attention span which many studies support. In addition to helping your child be more successful at school, her behavior will also improve at home.

- Are you encouraging social interactions for your child? A child on the autism spectrum often struggles with making and keeping friends, which is an important component in creating a positive school experience. If possible, invite old or new classmates that may have moved into the school system and have them over so your child can get to know them better and practice his social graces. It can help your child immensely if you rehearse back to school conversation starters and group social skills with them to use with their friends, teachers and other adults.

It is important to remember that all the preparation, planning and practice in the world won’t get you to where you want to be if you aren’t communicating well with your child – verbally and non-verbally. Knowing the answer to the following question will reap you many benefits. Does your child communicate best with words, or visuals and how can you tell when you have made a good connection?