2026 - A New School Year
A new school year often means an increase in anxiety for everyone, for your little (or big) ND people, including yourself.
To help manage the transition, these are my recommendations, in no particular order, to help you navigate the first week of back to school with your neurodivergent kiddos:
Do the photo shots on another day. The second day or the second week of school still counts as the beginning of a new school year.
If you can arrange an early pick up on the first day or better still the first week do it.
Pack your child food that they will want to eat, that they can unwrap without help, and that they can eat relatively quickly (maximum time for playing)
Pack a frozen drink ideally in a cardboard carton like a juice box, even if it isn’t fully thawed holding and squeezing a frozen cold drink will help to regulate the nervous system
Don’t ask them ‘How was your day?’ when you pick them up as this is an unnecessary demand that may result in a meltdown instead ask them open-ended questions after they have had a chance to regulate like “What was the best / funniest/ annoying thing that happened today?”
Trust that your child will tell you about school when they have had a chance to recover from their day e.g., after dinner, shower, or before bed is often a time children will let go of their day and tell you what happened. Return to any issues the following day as trying to work through problems late will not be easy for anyone e.g., “Thank you for letting me know about that, let’s problem solve this tomorrow after breakfast”
Have food ready (that they will want to eat) when you pick them up
Lower demands at home for a while and help them with tasks that they may have been able to do but appear to be struggling with like unpacking and packing their school bag
Trust that they will adjust to their new school, class, or environment soon and be able to contribute to home chores soon enough.
Don’t tell them that they will have a ‘good day’ or that ‘school is fun’ because you can’t control their experiences. It is better to say ‘Whatever happens I am confident we will work this out together as a team’
Let your child know you are thinking of them by adding a little note in their lunch box e.g., “Hope you enjoy your lunch, see you at pick up!” or simply “Love you!”
Provide plenty of wind down time before bed, a cool drink of water, listening to music, sharing a story with parent, drawing or sketching
Remember to care for yourself also. The more rested you are the better you will be at sharing your calm.
Please remember we were never meant to do this job alone. Reach out to others if you need extra support like getting your kids to school or advocating for their needs.
Belinda is a neurodivergent Educational & Developmental Psychologist with extensive personal and professional experience supporting her own and other neurodivergent families to navigate the complexities of school, home, and the wider community.
Reach out to us at Badger’s Place if you require support.
