By Chaelah Jenkins  

Children’s lives change dramatically when summer gives way to a new school year. The transitions to which students must adjust are numerous. Some find all of the changes too abrupt if they are not integrated a little at a time and at a pace that permits the students to ease into the new routine. Helping your student prepare for the school year before it begins will help him/her feel more at ease with the new routine and expectations. Start with the change that will be most difficult for your child. Ideally, add only one or two transition activities at a time, when the previous ones are mastered. Allow enough time to have all of the preparations in place for 1 week before school begins. Real life does not always adhere to the ideal, though! Do not worry. Any preparation work you are able to do will be of great benefit to your student. The following are some ideas to help get you started.

1. Start the school night routine you will have this year several weeks before school begins. If baths have been pushed to the morning over the summer, but are an evening activity during the school year, put them back on the evening schedule.

2. Slowly adjust his/her sleeping times to reflect the school’s schedule. This usually means earlier to bed in the evening and earlier to rise in the morning. Parents of afternoon preschoolers may find the loss of summer afternoon naps more difficult to implement than any other change. Allow enough time before school begins to experiment with the sleep schedule. Determine whether sleeping later in the morning is better for your little one, rather than waking earlier and taking a late morning nap.

3. Shift snack time at home to reflect your student’s class schedule. Help your child adjust to going several hours without eating. Reduce all-day snacking or having plates of food that seem to travel all over the house. Similarly, lunch should have a clear end 20 to 30 minutes after it begins.

4. Class time also means wearing shoes and clothes for several hours. If your child enjoyed summer au natural, it will take some time to adjust to these sensations. Nicole Lillard helps her son Ben get used to shoes by starting with loose fitting slip-ons such as Crocs. Later in the fall, Ben is ready when she switches to traditional tennis shoes that offer more protection from the cooler weather. Comfortability with clothing can be achieved the same way: less confining paving the way for more fitting and more layers.

5. Set aside some quiet time in the late afternoon or early evening to review academic concepts from the end of the last school year. When the new year begins, this chunk of time will be perfect for doing homework. You may have to start with shorter stints and increase the time slowly.

6. Include school as a regular topic of conversation. Mention it will be starting soon, and create a paper chain to help him/her count down the days. Discuss positive events from previous years that evoke happy memories. Address anxieties your student may have, too. If fire drills or loud assemblies conjure uncomfortable thoughts, create social stories depicting your child successfully managing those situations.

 7. If you know the bus route or you are taking your child to school, drive the route with him/her several times before school begins. Be sure to point out visual landmarks with which they can become familiar along the way.

8. Avoid “blaming” school for unpleasant activities such as getting a haircut, shopping for clothes, and going to the doctor.

Chaelah Jenkins, BS, ABA Consultant, can be reached at 816-517-7476 or cjenkinsaba@comcast.net.