The first day of school is just around the corner! Most of our kids are probably ready to get back to a routine. Unless you’re one of those parents who are able to have a very scheduled day. I’ve always wanted to be like that, but our planned day changes minute to minute!

There are a few things you can do to prepare your child/teen for their new school year.

1. Most schools are open a week or two before school starts. Call your school at the beginning of the week to ask for a meeting with the principal and to bring your child for a tour. This way, you should be able to find out who their teacher is (most schools don’t share this information before the first day of school, but if it will help your child with the transition, most are pretty good about sharing that info.) If the teacher is at the school, the child can meet them and at the very least, go see their new classroom.
2. Take pictures of the class, gym, library, halls, sensory room, washrooms, etc. if this is a new school for your child. You can create a social story or comic strips. If you are new to social stories, you can learn about them by clicking on this link. They were developed by Carol Gray and you can visit her website if you want more in-depth information. There are some social stories already created online and a google search should direct you to some.
3. Read the social stories at home each day or before bed. The more you talk about it, the more comfortable your child should become.
4. If your child is starting high school, check out this book Middle School: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About – A Teenage Girl with High Functioning Autism Shares Her Experiences by Haley Moss. I originally purchased it from Amazon but it was taking months (which is very unusual). I cancelled that order and went to Chapters online and it came within a few days. It is written for middle school if your child goes to a new school in grade 7, but works just as well for high school. We’ve been reading it every day and it has a ton of great tips for her!
5. If your child is starting kindergarten and you aren’t already connected with the preschool services in your area, make sure you call them. We are so fortunate to have One Roof in Midland. The direct number to the Community Living Huronia preschool services is 705-527-7022, Ext 327. But One Roof has many many services all under “One Roof”.  If you don’t live in Simcoe County just Google Preschool Services for children with special needs. If you are having a hard time finding services in your area, ask your family doctor. Check out the information on the Ministry of Child and Family Services Special Needs Support. If you still need assistance, shoot me an email and I’ll see what I can find.
6. Be positive!! Don’t let your fears of past experiences, or the thought of leaving your child with someone new scare you. Your child will sense it! The staff at the school should be well trained and want what is best for their students! They will do everything they can to keep them happy and safe.

Good luck!! This is just another one of the many progresses to come! I’ll post more throughout the year on specific issues that may arise at school and will update this post. If you or your child is struggling with something school related and need some help, send me an email and we can chat!