Back to School: Ready, Set, Go…Transition Time
Category : Autism , Back to School , Blog , Mindfulness & Our Children
Is it time for your mornings to convert back to the wee hours of the early dawn for greeting your child or teen and heading out the door to arrive before the school bell rings?
YES?! Then read on.
If not yet, then bookmark this for later this summer.
Children’s Communication Center and this Center’s Director and Founder, Lori Savage Grayson, are sharing suggestions to help each family transition from the carefree summer routines back to the more scheduled school routines with less stress and more success! First, remember it is important to know the recommended number of hours of sleep for your child or teen. Of course, each child or teen is an individual and you know your child or teen’s needs best, so use these guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) as suggestions.
Good Morning Time! Photo: PPW
In addition to returning to an earlier sleep schedule, children and teens may need to reduce their screen time and keep their screens out of their sleep environments. CBS news shares this informative segment.
Best to read “real” books at bedtime! Photo: PPW
YES, to #10, “Go for a Test Run” from Scholastic! Ms. Grayson, agrees and encourages parents to take their child to visit the school to explore their classroom(s) and the entire campus. See her additional tips below.
We all try to hold on to the lazy days of summer even once the school year starts, to maintain the easy going attitudes. We try not to succumb to the frazzle of early mornings, rushed breakfasts, remembering lunch, and completing homework. For ideas, Bethany Hardy via PBS Parents shares her suggestions here.
It’s helpful to organize your child’s work space to maximize success during homework. Photo: CCC
Each home, no matter what size, can set up an environment that supports reading, studying, and completing homework successfully, from Care.com, Melissa Chapman contributes her ideas in this informative article.
You can never have enough colors or art supplies for projects! Photo: PPW
We are sharing four articles from Autism Speaks relating to the transition back to school and believe you will find these worthy of your time: Advice to Get Your Child Ready to Start School and Tips for Reducing Stress Associated with Back to School from Dr. Peter Faustino, PhD; Autism and the Back to School Transition via Dr. Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D.; and Getting Ready for School: Transition Tips for Students with Autism, Dr. Paula Kluth, PhD.
Photo: CCC
Ms. Grayson also believes that allowing your child to take pictures while visiting before or during Open House gives him or her ownership and pride in their new classroom and school. Reviewing the pictures at home allows your child to become familiar with their surroundings while looking at and talking about them with you.
Visits to the school & playground before the 1st day with pictures too! Photo: LSG
Another successful tip from Ms. Grayson is to elicit a suggestion for a “buddy or buddies” from the school and schedule a play date at the end of summer or soon after school starts.
We will learn about friendship. Photo:LSG
If your child experiences anxiety, you may benefit from reading the Childhood Anxiety blog post in our Back to School Series.
Last, some personal family favorites from Ms. Grayson:
In our home, our sons brought our family’s special cookie cake to school to share with their classmates and teachers on the first day. This was successful for our family and became a tradition for more than 21 years beginning in 1991 through 2012. Now each of our sons is able to bake our family recipe and share for college and post college occasions. And we have happily passed the recipe on to the next generation who call me YaYa. NOTE: Be sensitive to any/all school rules and regulations on sharing food at school, allergies etc. There are other ways to share if that is baked goods/food is not allowed.
First day of school with YaYa’s special cookie cake recipe! Photo: PPW
Not only did we have a baking tradition, we also had, yes the first day of school picture tradition. New backpacks in tow, in front of our house or the new classroom door. And, don’t forget, a surprise, may be a new book, for when the first day is over. This gives your child something to look forward to upon completing the first day.
First day of school picture tradition, a personal favorite! Photo: LSG
Pick your tradition, but start one, you will be glad you did!
Be sure to contact us if we can answer any questions!