It’s no secret: Many students struggle with transitioning back to school after a long weekend or school break. This can be frustrating and exhausting not only for them, but their parents and teachers as well. When at home, children get a breather from the “work” of a school day. They get to stay up later, sleep in, be with their families, and have fun doing what they want! When it comes time to pack lunches and hop on the school bus to return, many students feel a wave of stress, especially those with learning difficulties/disabilities, anxiety, or sensory processing difficulties commonly seen with Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD.
Here are some tips for parents and teachers to help ease the transition:
TALK ABOUT IT
- Help the child to mentally prepare for the upcoming transition so they don’t feel stressed or worried when it comes up the day before.
- Talk about going back to school, show them the date on a calendar so they know what day it is, and talk about the routine and events of that day. What are they looking forward to?
GET BACK INTO THE ROUTINE
- Drive past their school, play on the playground, or have a playdate with a classmate- Get them acclimated to thinking about school.
- Make sure your child is not staying up late the night before they return to school, so there is no sleeping in late or waking up tired!
- Have a set routine: Lay out their clothes the night before, plan breakfast choices, and pack lunch and their backpack so they are ready to go.
USE A TRANSITION ITEM
- Talk with your child about an item that can go with them to school. Maybe it’s a small toy from home, a new pencil, or a special snack. Even a little note or photo in their lunch can go a long way to help them have a good day!
FIND OUT WHAT IS BOTHERING THEM ABOUT SCHOOL
- If a child is having a hard time, try to figure out what could be bothering them. Is it a particular classmate? The noise level of all the students? That they have art today and they really wanted to go to the gym? Or maybe school is just “hard” and they feel lost or overwhelmed. Once you can figure out what is bothering them, you can provide the right solutions!
CONSIDER SENSORY ASPECTS OF THE CLASSROOM
- The classroom can be a very exciting place when everyone gets back from break, but for some students, their sensory systems need some time to get re-acclimated. Make sure the lights aren’t too bright, the noise level is kept to a minimum, and give students brain breaks and movement opportunities to get up from their desks!
OFFER COPING STRATEGIES
- Calm Down Corner- Have an area of the classroom with pillows, beanbag chairs, and fidget items that can help them to calm down as needed
- Go for a walk or special errand- Have the student drop off items to other teachers or the front office, or go for a short walk around the school
- Play a deep breathing video or lead stretches or yoga poses for the whole class- This allows students to not feel singled out, plus everyone can benefit!
- Have them identify their arousal level- Are they feeling excited, tired, bored, frustrated, or silly? Asking them to give you a quick thumbs up or thumbs down can also be helpful.
CHECK-IN
- Ask the child: How did their first day back go? How did they feel? What was the best part? What was the hardest part? Do they have any ideas for what could make tomorrow even better? Highlight the positives and support them in any area they struggled with.
- Transitions can be tough for children, and preparation by parents and teachers is key! Getting them back into their routine, being mindful of their needs, and giving them access to strategies can help children to successfully return to school.
Author: Christina Olivieri, M.S. OTR/L
