News & Views: August 10, 2022

diverse group of grade school children climbing stairs to school entrance

It is quite normal for both students (with and without disabilities), parents, and caregivers to be equally excited and/or anxious about the start of the upcoming school year. Students may worry about new teachers, friends, workloads, concerns about spending time away from home, and new routines. Parents and caregivers may also share similar feelings as well, adjusting their own work/household routines around the demands of a new school year. As such, it is not surprising that for many, back to school anxiety can be a huge concern. However, keeping a positive attitude, working together, and with proactive planning, we can alleviate the stress of getting back into school routines and placing our students on the path to success.

The following are 8 strategies for assisting in the transition of Summer Fun to School Success:

Start the conversation - As the first day of school approaches, having open conversations about the upcoming academic year may encourage your child to voice their concerns surrounding what to expect. Try not to be dismissive about their fears. This can be a cathartic opportunity and a vital part of addressing anxiety provoking thoughts and feelings. Allowing your child to express themselves can also allow you to gauge how they are processing upcoming changes in routine, schedule, and environment and assist with preliminary problem-solving.
Create a positive atmosphere - While heading back to school can be anxiety provoking, help your student identify some of the positive aspects of going back to school, such as the potential of learning new and interesting things, navigating old and new friendships, and a change of scenery. Avoid expressing your own negative views in front of your child as this may create unnecessary fears and apprehensions within your child. By remaining calm, preparing, and planning your routines in a systematic manner, you can avoid unintentionally projecting your own anxiety onto your child.
Practice routine changes - During the summer, it is more than common for students to veer away from their school routines. Bedtimes are often pushed to later times, eating habits become irregular, and homework for most is minimal to none. It can be helpful to re-implement school routines approximately one to two weeks prior to the first day of school - specifically, establishing earlier and consistent bedtimes. Other helpful practices may include setting out clothes at night, packing school supplies, and practice preparing lunches. It may also be helpful to identify a designated area, such as by the doorway to place all items necessary for the school day. This may assist in increasing the potential for smoother and less chaotic mornings.
Utilize visual supports - Utilizing visual reminders can assist students with easily identifying expected routines. For example, you can create a chart or use a whiteboard with pictures and lists that illustrates bedtime activities or routines for preparing for school (i.e. select clothing, brush teeth, comb hair, pack backpack, etc.). The use of social stories can also be used to preview upcoming events using a visual format. Social stories can be used to help reduce your child’s stress by making unfamiliar situations more predictable.
Review plans in advance - Before school starts, review rules, plans, and/or daily schedules with your child. This may include looking through the school handbook, reviewing bus or pick up schedule, attending back to school nights, or walking through the school together. Talk about bus stops, drop off locations, and/or plans for pick-up. It may be helpful to include a note card in your child’s backpack with information in the event your child is uneasy about remembering specifics such as bus numbers, and lunch codes.
Practice calming strategies - As students get older, they can begin to learn techniques on how to manage anxiety provoking situations. It may be helpful to practice breathing exercises or learn how to slow down their breathing when becoming overwhelmed. Learning to utilize stress balls or non-distracting fidget tools can also be a useful strategy. It is also important for students to recognize that it is OK to ask for help from trusted staff, such as a favorite teacher or guidance counselor when their own techniques are not working. At the end of the day, debrief with your child about their school day so that you can help them identify strategies for problem-solving. Additionally, it is also just as important to allow your child to decompress from the day, take time to relax, and have proper downtime.
Find your own system of support - Create social support networks with other parents with same age children. Sometimes, it can be beneficial to reach out to other families who are experiencing or have experienced similar concerns.
Take a Deep Breath - Make sure you take your own deep breath. Give you and your child some grace. Remember that you and your family will eventually fall back into a routine and this is just a part of the process. One day you will look back on these years with fondness or maybe even relief. But most importantly, remind yourself to be kind to yourself. You got this and you are doing great!

MHIDD Course for Direct Support Professionals

Next course begins September 20, 2022

The course consists of 6 weekly, webinar-style sessions via Zoom (105 minutes each) where the course facilitator will demonstrate how the information reviewed during sessions can be applied in the day-to-day support of people with IDD-MH. Each session will host 75-minutes of instruction and a 30-minute office hour session will follow for more in depth discussion with questions and answers. Registration is $149 per person and participants can receive University of New Hampshire Continuing Education Units and a Certificate of Completion for MHIDD Training for Direct Support Professionals.

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MHIDD Course for Direct Support Professionals