How do you prepare for the new school year? Getting ready for a successful school year requires much more than stocking up on school supplies and finding that special outfit for the first day. Let's explore a few ideas to help make this school year the best yet!
Let’s start with your child!
• Pictures, Pictures, Pictures! Visit your child's school, with your child if possible, and take lots of pictures of your child’s new school. Use them to familiarize your child with his new environment. These pictures can be used in a variety of ways throughout the year to share thoughts and experiences. Just remember to use lots of declaratives and experience sharing language, and keep questioning to a minimum.
• Allow some down time in when your child gets home. The demands of the classroom and long bus rides in traffic are highly stressful for most children with ASD. Make sure to give your child the time to decompress without demands.
• Limit screen time! When your child is engaged with electronics, he cannot engage with people. Often, children with ASD will repeat the scripts from electronic games, movies, etc. in order to escape situations when they are stressed and overwhelmed. This prevents the child from connecting with others and from learning vital self-regulation skills.
• Limit homework time. The National PTA recommends no more than 10 minutes per night per grade in school. So, if your child is a third grader, you should not spend more than 30 minutes per night on homework. It may help to break it down into smaller segments, especially if you child is in middle/high school. If you need this incorporated into your child’s IEP, consider asking for an IEP meeting to address this concern.
Building relationships with your child’s teacher(s)/school
• Think positive! Write a note to your child’s teacher the first day. Thank her/him and the school staff for everything they do. Acknowledge that they have a challenging job, and share a few positive thoughts about your child.
• When problems occur, call/email/go in person right away. Come in as a partner to problem solve a solution, rather than to find fault. Try to find a solution that does not involve going directly to the teacher’s boss or your attorney.
• Volunteer!
• If your child is on a special diet, make sure to send in safe treats that can be kept in the classroom for special occasions.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff. Clothes get stained, shoes get lost, lunches sometimes are not eaten.
Making it the best year yet for YOU!
• Take a close look at your schedule. Are you over scheduling yourself and your child? If so, you will not have anything left to give to your relationships with your child, your significant other, or yourself.
• Take a close look at your priorities. Is your hectic schedule getting in the way?
• Make sure to take time for yourself everyday - even if it is just 10 minutes to sit with a cup of tea.
• Slow down....
• Use less verbal language.
• Get enough sleep and try to incorporate physical activity into everyday.
These are just a few ideas to help get the new school year started on the right track. Now, let the planning begin!
Betty has been a certified RDI consultant since 2009 and is providing RDI to families through the school system for Prince Georges County Public Schools in Maryland. In addition to seeing families individually and in groups, she provides training for both professionals and parents across the school system.