Getting ready for back to school when you have a child with special needs is exciting, but stressful too. Maybe a bit more on the stressful side actually, for parents and for the child too. This is our first year of going back to school with medical and psychological diagnoses. With that comes more preparation than before. Along with getting our daughter, Sammi, up to date on her shots, we needed to have paperwork filled out by her doctors and other forms completed. We’re also preparing her mentally and physically.
Preparation is Key
Instead of getting supplies and paperwork completed after our daughter starts school, this year we will have as much done before hand as possible. We need to be sure that Sammi is safe at school, so her medical information will be ready on the first day of school. We want to alleviate stress, so we’re getting some school supplies for her to take to school. We’re planning her first day’s outfit now and deciding on the best time to drop her off on the first day. Her bedtime schedule has basically stayed the same over the summer, but we’ve been enforcing it more diligently these last few weeks. And we’ve been talking about what she likes about school and how to cope with what she doesn’t.
Medical Information
Our school district requires Medical Care Plans if a student has a serious medical condition. This way the staff is aware of emergency needs and other issues that may occur while the student is in school, on the bus, etc. These have been completed by all of the specialists my daughter sees. My daughter was on full Homebound status before school ended last year, so she will return as partial Homebound. Her doctor feels that starting with two classes per day is the best route to take. The Hospital Homebound form is done and was faxed to the school.
There was no need for a medical check up, but her therapist has been preparing Sammi for going back to school. She’s been teaching her more behavior modification techniques to help her handle any anxiety that may come up and she’ll be seeing her every week once school starts.
Feeling Better About School
Just as Sammi’s therapist has been working with her about feeling better about going back to school, so have my husband and I. We talk about her friends and the funny things that happened last year. We also honor her feelings of fear about returning to school by letting her talk about it, by not telling her “it will be fine”, and by acknowledging her feelings. Although she really doesn’t need new clothes, we are getting her some new outfits and some extra school supplies as a treat.
Her Homebound teacher has been teaching Sammi over the summer and has been a tremendous help with preparing Sammi for going back to school. She understands Sammi’s fears and has been working with her on them by incorporating them into her lessons. She’s also provided the school with the modifications and accommodations that help Sammi learn and retain what she has learned.
Open House
We will definitely attend open house! This gives Sammi an opportunity to see her friends, meet her teachers and see her school again. It’s like an ice-breaker before the first day of school. My husband and I will have the time to check in with the new guidance counselor and teachers, and to make sure everything is in place for our daughter’s return to school. We’ll both join the PTA again and sign up as volunteers. Being active in our daughter’s school makes us feel like we’re giving back and we’re able to stay better informed about the school in general.
If you have a child with special needs, what do you do to prepare for back to school?
Book Resource for young children: First Day Jitters
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