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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Preparation is often the key to easing transitions and this is certainly true for all young children, including those with special needs, who often have difficulty with changes in their routines. Below are some tips that families should take into consideration for back-to-school.
Easing the Transition
One of the major transitions that all children face each year is going back to school after summer vacation. This transition is particularly wrought with emotions – sadness at seeing the summer end; anticipation, excitement and anxiety about a new school year, and for some, fear of the unknown. Try to address these concerns:
Visit the school a week before school begins as this will help build anticipation and dispel anxiety that your child might be experiencing.
Read familiar books, sing familiar school songs, and talk with your child about their prior positive school experiences. The school bus and school friends are a good way of reminding and preparing your child for what lies ahead.
Include your child in shopping for school supplies and new clothes; having them select a new book bag, lunch box or clothes for the first day of school builds anticipation and gives them a sense of control over what is to come in the days ahead.
Re-adjusting Routine
Going back to school also brings with it changes to the daily routine – earlier bedtimes; earlier mornings, and structured days – all of which may have been eased during summer break. Giving your child time to adjust to these changes will help ease the transition.
Use a calendar to count down the days until school begins which can give your child a better sense of what is to come. It also provides an opportunity to plan out those remaining days of summer and make the most of them.
Consider setting up morning and afternoon routines before school starts and review them with your child so that they know what is expected of him/her including homework routines. This helps children with the overall adjustment of returning to school while empowering them in taking on responsibility, as appropriate to their age level.
End the Summer with Fun
Establishing an end-of-summer event is also a good way to help your child prepare for the new school year. This can be that one last barbeque with family and friends; a day at the beach; a weekend away, or a family fun day at home that can become your end of summer tradition, marking the transition each year.
The memories and comfort that tradition brings will become something that your child will look forward to that will signal the end of summer and ease them into the start of a new school year.
Work Together
Initiate working with the education/clinical team at the school early in the year rather than waiting to be contacted.
Share strategies that have been beneficial to your child historically. Begin the process as early as possible so that your child benefits from a collaborative and coordinated team that includes the family along with educators and any therapeutic team.
Dr. Scott L. Barkin, Ph.D., is the Executive Director and Gina Maranga is the Director of Program Operations of Block Institute. Block Institute is a Brooklyn, New York educational facility dedicated to serving the needs of children and adults with disabilities. http://www.blockinstitute.org. 718-946-9700
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