By Vandal Truong, Director of Adult Day Support

Back-to-school season has many of us spending time looking for the right lunch box and backpack, or the right sneakers for the classroom and the playground. If your child has a developmental disability, this time of year may require special attention. Here are some tips to make this transition easier.

Expose your child to the classroom early 

Most schools have a back-to-school night when students and parents can meet the teacher and check out the classroom. This helps give them a sense of the space they’ll be in every day before school even starts. 

Teacher Relationships 

We all want the relationship between our kids and their teachers to be a positive one. To help get everyone off on the right foot, try introducing your child to their new teacher by creating a “Meet my child” document, which details some things that help explain who your child is.  Bring it with your child to meet the teacher or better yet, if possible, ask your child to carry it along. If the teacher understands that the parent is involved, then the student feels more secure. 

Morning Routines 

All children benefit from getting into a set routine to prepare for the school year. Children with special needs need at least two or three weeks to adjust to a new routine before school starts. This will help them get comfortable before the big change is going to come.  

Transportation and Lunch 

If your child has a bus routine, go over where they will be picked up from home, dropped off at school, picked up from school and dropped off back at home. For car riders, make sure they know where to find their ride home and routine for parent pickup. Also go over what they can do if they get to school early and where they can go before the bell rings.  

Lunchtime can create some anxious moments. If your child doesn’t have a designated place to eat lunch, work with the teacher to locate areas where the student feels safe or comfortable where they can eat and participate with their peer group.  

School Skills at Home 

Because a child with special needs may come to school without basic skills to help them succeed, parents can help by working on structure, discipline and routines before the school year begins.  

In addition to waking up and going to bed at a set time, have your child practice sitting down to work on an activity for a set period, say 15 minutes, and then slowly increasing the amount of time. Working on skills is also helpful such as asking for permission to get up or go to the bathroom, washing hands after the bathroom or sticking with an adult in public places. 

Stay Positive 

If you have fears or nerves about your child going to school, try not discussing it when your child is around. It’s a good idea to keep the language you use about school very positive and comforting in front of your child, so they don’t get conflicting messages.  

Advocate for Themselves 

Remind your child to ask for help. A positive and strong support system means the child feels comfortable speaking up for themselves.  

Get Involved 

Talk about emotions. Invite your child into the process of buying school supplies. Show your child that you care in a positive, loving way.

For even more discussion about back to school tips for children with disabilities, click here to view SOAR365’s appearance on NBC12. Visit soar365.org for more information on all of our organization’s programs and services.