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As you have probably noticed by now,
ADHD children don’t handle transitions, sudden changes and surprises
well. Since executive thinking processes in ADHD children are not
quite mature, they have a difficult time rapidly assessing and
interpreting change. Therefore, they react in the most basic manner
for which we are “programmed”. They become defensive and ready to
“protect” themselves from a
perceived threat to their normal routines. I know I’m a
creature of habit, as are most ADHDers.
Even kids who are on a year-round
school schedule with three-week breaks between mini-semesters and
home-schooled children
who are given similar breaks can have a difficult time with
school-back to learning transitions. Our job as parents, educators
and professionals is to help each child reach his or her maximum
potential in life and as my teacher colleagues have so often pointed
out, “The first few days of class
are spent getting kids
used to being back in school”.
In kids with ADHD and learning
disorders, this transition time may actually be closer to four
weeks. This lag leaves the ADHD child further and further behind his
classmates, creates frustration, feelings of inadequacy and builds
resistance to effective learning.
So, what can you do to help your ADHD
child feel less threatened by the summer-back-to-school transition?
About
three weeks before school
starts:
-
Speak to your child’s upcoming
teacher. Explain about your child’s behavior and learning
challenges as well as treatment plans. Ask for a copy of the
reading book to be used in the beginning of this school session
so you can introduce your child to the book. (Some parents ask
for all books in advance!) Get your child into the habit of
reading this book at home prior to the start of classes. This
little “advantage” will give him a slight edge over non-ADHD
kids and help with his self-esteem and credibility in being in
that grade. He or she will not be seen or feel as “dumb”.
-
Take your child shopping for all
the pencils, notebooks and other supplies needed for class. Do
not wait until two or three days before class starts. Doing so
will create panic over whether they will feel prepared and
indeed less threatened. Letting your child help pick out the
supplies will place responsibility on her for their use and
care.
-
Having her supplies this far in
advance will help him feel comfortable with their use and will
allow you to help him learn to organized those things needed for
school each day. Show him how to properly load her supplies and
books into a book bag or backpack and teach him to make it a
habit to put everything back in it’s place.
About
two weeks before school
starts:
-
Shop for new clothing with your
child. ADHD kids can be distracted by the smallest things, such
as large tags in the back of dresses and shirts. Avoid clothing
with toys attached that provide opportunities to fidget. You may
have to remove all of these to keep the child from tugging at
them or fidgeting during class. Letting kids help with buying
their new school clothes will show you respect their opinion and
help them develop “ownership” in what they wear. Be sure to wash
and dry new clothes as some kids are bothered by the stiffness
of new clothing. Keep in mind that kids can be brutal with each
other when it comes to criticizing hairstyles and clothing.
-
Ask your child’s teacher if she
may “visit” the new classroom for a few minutes during this
week. Doing so will alleviate a lot of fear about getting lost
and what to expect in her new surroundings. Her teacher may want
to go ahead and assign her a front row seat away from
distracting windows and other overly active kids.
-
Set aside an hour every afternoon
to be used for reading a schoolbook. Be consistent in the use of
this hour and tell your daughter you expect her to use this time
for study after school starts. This will allow you to help
establish a good habit and your ADHDer will be less resistant to
studying. Use this time to give your ADHDer tips on “finding”
the important stuff in a sentence or paragraph. Remember, not
all children learn the same way, even though our schools tend to
teach them the same way.
About one week before
school starts:
-
Start getting your child up at the
time he will need to be up when school starts. Feed him
breakfast just as if he were going to school that morning and
expect him to stay up for at least an hour. If he wants to go
back to bed for a while, that’s ok. In older children, now is
the time to get them in the habit of setting and awakening to an
alarm clock. By having your ADHD child get up, eat breakfast and
prepare to leave for school, you can estimate the amount of time
you will need each morning. It’s just like being in boot camp!
-
Help him choose proper clothing
for the “next school day” and lay it out ready for him to dress
as if going to school. Once his clothes are ready and in a place
where he can expect to find them, it should be off to bed to get
at least 7 hours sleep and be ready to “get up” for school.
-
Get your child in the habit of
placing his schoolbooks, supplies, teacher’s notes, and backpack
on a table near the door through which he leave for school.
Starting now will save a lot of headaches in the next two or
three weeks. Now is a good time to set up a rotating schedule
for riding in the front seat if you have more than one child
going to school. Riding shotgun is considered a big deal with
some children and you can not only avoid a screaming fit on the
first few school days,
but also teach him or her the art of sharing.
We certainly hope these tips help you
and your ADHD child better cope with the start of this school year!
Dr. Frank |
