Photo by Anastasiya Gepp
Back to school with ADHD
As we reached the end of the long school year, we should be congratulating ourselves for getting this far!!! It certainly hasn’t been an easy ride for a lot of us, and I’m sure plenty of you can relate to “panic” whenever the phone rings in the middle of the day.
The final few weeks are certainly not without their dramas – my son was a real stickler for routine so surprise “craft mornings” or “Christmas carol sing-alongs”, which generally would fill kids with excitement and joy, would fill him with confusion and anxiety.
Fortunately, this tended to be a “Primary School” thing, whereas High School seems to, at least attempt, to keep them focused until the very end.
However, as we all let out a collective sigh of relief for getting to the end of the school year, we really should be looking ahead to this new year. Hopefully, you have a school that is on to it, and are working on transitioning your children to a new class and new teacher in the new school year.
If they haven’t yet, it’s probably not a bad idea to talk to your child’s teacher, or ask for a Transition Meeting so you can all discuss how your child will transition into the new year, what plans are in place to handle any behavioural issues and, at the very least, you have a chance to meet and talk to the new teacher.
Even more scary is the big move from Primary to Intermediate or Intermediate to High School. Usually the new schools are given information from the previous school, but it’s not a bad idea to contact the new school and chat to the SENCO. Have a meeting and discuss your child’s needs, and the plan of attack if any issues arise.
I have always found that the new schools are more open to working with you, and be more sympathetic and accommodating, if you're proactive in contacting them first and establishing a rapport and connection.
So, with that in mind…
Back to school with ADHD
Summer is the time for kids to relax, sleep late, and have fun. No kid wants to trade vacation for the structure and routine of the school year.
Although kids with ADHD can have a hard time getting used to classrooms and homework again, you can take steps to make the transition easier for both of you.
Get familiar:
Get organised
Help your child stay on top of homework. Great tools for organising include:
Let him help make a shopping list for supplies for the coming year. Ask his school if you can get an extra set of textbooks to keep at home.
Plan your back-to-school calendar
Write all the activities your child has planned on one big calendar. Include things like after-school clubs, sports, music lessons, and regular play dates. Add special projects and tests as they come up. Leave room in each day for homework, plus some time to relax and have fun.
Let her help design the schedule, so she feels a sense of control and ownership. Go over the schedule each day until she understands the routine.
Ease into the new schedule
If your child slept late during summer vacation, start waking him up a littler earlier each day. That way he won’t be groggy when school starts. Make bedtime a little earlier each night, too, so he gets enough sleep. Start him back on any ADHD medicines if you took a break for the summer.
Post the routine
Put a list of the daily morning activities on the fridge or somewhere your child will see it. Write down everything she needs to do before walking out the door, including:
• get dressed
• make the bed
• eat breakfast
• pack homework, and
• take backpack, PE gear, sneakers, jacket and lunch.
Talk to the teacher
Look at booking an IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting at your school – this is a great way to meet your child’s teacher, SENCO and other people who could help such as a TA or the Principal.
Discuss your child’s strengths and challenges and talk about classroom changes that helped him in the past. For example, kids with ADHD find it easier to focus when they sit in the front of the class, away from distractions like friends and windows.
Discuss varied teaching methods that can keep your child interested and agree on how to support your child throughout the school year.
Ask for access to the schedule. You may want to get a second set of books to keep at home, too.
Find out how much homework the teacher plans to assign each night. You may want to ask for extra help to make sure your child can finish all of his assignments, or extra time on tests.
Figure out how you and the teacher will stay in touch during the school year.
Getting started at a new school
Is your child starting Intermediate or High School? Did you move over the summer? A big change like that can be hard for a child or teen with ADHD.
Make it easier by reaching out to the school before classes start. Help the new school match your child with the classes and teachers that fit his abilities and learning style. Call the school and arrange to share reports, test scores, and notes from last year. Meet with the guidance counsellor and your child’s teachers. You may need to update his IEP, or make a new one.
Ask the guidance counsellor to take you and your child on a tour of the new school. Meet with teachers, the principal, the nurse, and anyone else your child will see daily. Walk through the whole school day with your child so he knows where he needs to go and when. If possible, try to arrange a playdate or hangout with another student from your child’s new class.
Advance planning and practice, along with familiar routines at home, will help you both get used to this change and maybe feel more confident on the first day of school.
The final few weeks are certainly not without their dramas – my son was a real stickler for routine so surprise “craft mornings” or “Christmas carol sing-alongs”, which generally would fill kids with excitement and joy, would fill him with confusion and anxiety.
Fortunately, this tended to be a “Primary School” thing, whereas High School seems to, at least attempt, to keep them focused until the very end.
However, as we all let out a collective sigh of relief for getting to the end of the school year, we really should be looking ahead to this new year. Hopefully, you have a school that is on to it, and are working on transitioning your children to a new class and new teacher in the new school year.
If they haven’t yet, it’s probably not a bad idea to talk to your child’s teacher, or ask for a Transition Meeting so you can all discuss how your child will transition into the new year, what plans are in place to handle any behavioural issues and, at the very least, you have a chance to meet and talk to the new teacher.
Even more scary is the big move from Primary to Intermediate or Intermediate to High School. Usually the new schools are given information from the previous school, but it’s not a bad idea to contact the new school and chat to the SENCO. Have a meeting and discuss your child’s needs, and the plan of attack if any issues arise.
I have always found that the new schools are more open to working with you, and be more sympathetic and accommodating, if you're proactive in contacting them first and establishing a rapport and connection.
So, with that in mind…
Back to school with ADHD
Summer is the time for kids to relax, sleep late, and have fun. No kid wants to trade vacation for the structure and routine of the school year.
Although kids with ADHD can have a hard time getting used to classrooms and homework again, you can take steps to make the transition easier for both of you.
Get familiar:
- head down to your child’s school and have a wee look around, and
- get familiar with where everything is, especially if your child is heading to a different school this year.
Get organised
Help your child stay on top of homework. Great tools for organising include:
- a calendar or daily planner
- a dry-erase or bulletin board to post due dates and reminders
- a desk organiser and storage bins for school supplies to keep his study space neat and free from distractions, and / or
- colour coded folders or a multi-pocket binder to keep assignments straight.
Let him help make a shopping list for supplies for the coming year. Ask his school if you can get an extra set of textbooks to keep at home.
Plan your back-to-school calendar
Write all the activities your child has planned on one big calendar. Include things like after-school clubs, sports, music lessons, and regular play dates. Add special projects and tests as they come up. Leave room in each day for homework, plus some time to relax and have fun.
Let her help design the schedule, so she feels a sense of control and ownership. Go over the schedule each day until she understands the routine.
Ease into the new schedule
If your child slept late during summer vacation, start waking him up a littler earlier each day. That way he won’t be groggy when school starts. Make bedtime a little earlier each night, too, so he gets enough sleep. Start him back on any ADHD medicines if you took a break for the summer.
Post the routine
Put a list of the daily morning activities on the fridge or somewhere your child will see it. Write down everything she needs to do before walking out the door, including:
• get dressed
• make the bed
• eat breakfast
• pack homework, and
• take backpack, PE gear, sneakers, jacket and lunch.
Talk to the teacher
Look at booking an IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting at your school – this is a great way to meet your child’s teacher, SENCO and other people who could help such as a TA or the Principal.
Discuss your child’s strengths and challenges and talk about classroom changes that helped him in the past. For example, kids with ADHD find it easier to focus when they sit in the front of the class, away from distractions like friends and windows.
Discuss varied teaching methods that can keep your child interested and agree on how to support your child throughout the school year.
Ask for access to the schedule. You may want to get a second set of books to keep at home, too.
Find out how much homework the teacher plans to assign each night. You may want to ask for extra help to make sure your child can finish all of his assignments, or extra time on tests.
Figure out how you and the teacher will stay in touch during the school year.
Getting started at a new school
Is your child starting Intermediate or High School? Did you move over the summer? A big change like that can be hard for a child or teen with ADHD.
Make it easier by reaching out to the school before classes start. Help the new school match your child with the classes and teachers that fit his abilities and learning style. Call the school and arrange to share reports, test scores, and notes from last year. Meet with the guidance counsellor and your child’s teachers. You may need to update his IEP, or make a new one.
Ask the guidance counsellor to take you and your child on a tour of the new school. Meet with teachers, the principal, the nurse, and anyone else your child will see daily. Walk through the whole school day with your child so he knows where he needs to go and when. If possible, try to arrange a playdate or hangout with another student from your child’s new class.
Advance planning and practice, along with familiar routines at home, will help you both get used to this change and maybe feel more confident on the first day of school.
