It can be so hard to start thinking about school mid-summer when we’re experiencing sunny, 80-degree days and 9pm sunsets. Who wants to ruin the summer vibe by making a back-to-school checklist?! The reality is that the kids won’t be doing that—so it’s going to have to fall on you, the parent. Get some of these tasks done now, and ease the stress and hectic nature of the kids’ transition back to school.
October 28, 2022
from ADDitude Editors
The process of securing academic accommodations for your child with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) can be confusing — and intimidating. Follow these eight steps to take the hassle out of requesting and establishing an IEP or 504 Plan for ADHD.
1. Get an Accurate ADD Evaluation
Write a letter requesting an evaluation to see if your child with ADHD might benefit from academic accommodations.
The key to starting school on time starts the night before. Since kids with ADHD may have sleep issues, a solid sleep routine can help your child be successful with their morning routine.
Begin the sleep ritual early. Turn off any electronic devices well ahead of bedtime, if possible. We know this is tough when kids’ laptops and netbooks are their a major point of connection to their learning environment. It’s also challenging if your student is up late studying, but aim for an early bedtime as much as you can. Try a non-electronic ritual—like reading together or setting out the next day’s outfit—to help ease your child’s transition towards bedtime.
For young children, homework often involves the use of crayons, colored pencils, stickers, colored paper and the like. Keep a small amount of each of these in a handy caddy or a desk organizer. Choose a product which has space for writing utensils and paper. Keep this caddy on hand where your child does homework. An important step in organizing school supplies is to have your student put their tools back into the caddy when they are finished. For example, a sixteen pack of crayons is plenty (vs. a box of 64), your child will be able to make decisions faster and clean-up will be a cinch! Keep it simple. There is no need to create an elaborate space with many of types of products. The key is to make it easy for your child to use and put their study tools away. The more school supplies you have on hand – the bigger the clean-up project.
