Getting Through the School Doors

A new school year brings a new teacher, new classmates, new schedule, new supplies, and to some, even a new school. It is totally normal for most kids get the first day of school jitters. For special needs children, the first day of school jitters can last a week or even a month. It can also be more than jitters; it can be anxiety that comes with frequent bathroom breaks, loose stools, throwing up, loss of appetite, excessive crying, or refusal to even make it through the school doors.

Our first day of school was hard on both my son and me. It is so hard to watch him struggle and work through his anxiety. It took about fifteen to twenty minutes to get him through the door. Then once inside, it took another ten to fifteen minutes to help calm him down.

Yesterday, I talked to his therapist about tips to help a child cope with a new school year. Here are ways you can help get your child through the school doors:

1.     Practice when no one is there- practice waking up early and showing up to the school on holidays or weekends, so your child can get use to the drive to school. Practice getting out of the car and walking up to the school. If the school is open (talk to the staff in advanced), practice walking the hallways and going in to the classroom. This will help your child get used to the back to school routine.

 

2.     Make a visual- Make a visual calendar and schedule so your child will know what days they go to school, and what they do at school. When making a visual, we first walk the school and take pictures. We have pictures of his school, the hallway, his class, and his teacher. We then cut out the pictures and glue them onto paper to show his schedule. It always helps my son to know what is next.

 

3.     Help child relax- Before your child gets into the car, do a relaxing activity. This could include the brushing technique, compressions, roll child up in blanket like a burrito (deep pressure), deep breathing, or jump on a trampoline. Also, make sure your child has therapy items with them to help keep them relaxed throughout the day. We pack ear muffs, chewy, sunglasses, and a fidget.

 

4.     Read a story- Reading can also be therapeutic. Reading books about going back to school can help a child know what to expect. Here are some great back to school books: “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn, “Wemberly Worried” by Ken Henkins, “First Day Jitters” by Julie Danneberg, “A Bad Case of Stripes” by David Shannon, “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkins,  and “Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon” by Patty Lovell. There are also great social stories on the web as well.

 

5.     Watch a show about going to school- Shows can also help ease anxiety. “Daniel Tiger Goes to School” is about Daniel being worried that his dad can’t stay with him. This would be great for children that are worried about their parents not being there. “Arthur Back to School Day” and “Arthur and The Real Mr. Ratburn” discuss a child’s anxiety about having a new teacher.

 

6.     Talk to Your Child- Talk to your child about their fears. Reassure them that it is okay to be scared, but we cannot let our fears get the best of us. Discuss then with your child what to do when they are scared, so they know ways to appropriately respond. Also, talk about ways that are not appropriate. It is a good idea to make a chart, so your child can see appropriate ways to react to fear and not appropriate ways to react.

 

I hope these tips help all of our children settle into a new school year. One thing I have learned over the years is that it is hard in the beginning, but it does get easier as they fall into their new routine.