Back to School Tips 2023

It's that time of the year again! 

Summer is winding down and we are transitioning into another school year. Back to school can be a stressful time for parents and students—especially neurodivergent kiddos. 

Here are 3 tips for fostering a smooth back to school transition.

TIP 1: Review & Preview

This is a concept we cover in The Learning Collective parent coaching course. In an attempt to foster the metacognitive executive function skill (the ability to think about how your actions in the present affect future outcomes), it is always essential that we ask our kiddos what went well last year and what they want to improve on this year. It is important to keep shame and blame out of the conversation, but instead, this is a time to get curious, reflective and set positive intentions for this school year.

I often use this resource Understood.org Back to School Worksheet in my one on one meetings with students in the beginning of the school year. I will sprinkle these questions in over multiple sessions, rather than bombarding the students with all of the questions at once. I recommend parents take a look at this resource and select two questions to bring up over dinner or in a moment where you and your child have the space and time to get reflective.

TIP 2: Send Introduction Emails to your Child’s Teachers

I strongly recommend starting the year off with open, clear communication with your child’s teachers. Teachers are often bombarded with hundreds of 504 plans/ IEPs at the beginning of the year. Despite this fact, it is important to make sure your child’s teachers have access to your child’s 504/IEP plans, understand his/her strengths and weaknesses, and implement strategies that really work. I recommend using this resource from ADDitude Magazine to help you craft an email to your child’s teachers Sample Letter to Teacher.

Equally as important is your child’s awareness of their accommodations and commitment to self advocate within reason. It is helpful to do a role play with your child to help them learn the language to use when they realize their accommodation is not being followed.

Last but not least, make sure to schedule any 504/IEP meetings if things need to be added, subtracted or modified.

TIP 3: Practice Patience and Calm the first two weeks of School

The first two weeks of school, especially for high schoolers, are a whirl wind. Their schedules often change, they may want to drop or add classes and its a huge energetic transition out of summer and back into school mode.

Your child needs you to be a calm and and nonreactive . They are heavily co-regulating with you these first weeks . How you respond to their schedule or issues will dictate how regulated or dysregulated your child might become.

Your ability to stay calm, validate and normalize their feelings, help them problem solve and reassure them of their abilities to navigate challenges is key.