Man this summer flew by! Can I be honest with you? I’m ready for my kids to go back to school! I think my kids are ready to go back as well. They’ve been asking me when “how many more days do we have until school starts?” I have one that has blatantly expressed “I don’t want to stay home to do fun stuff. I want to go to school. I’m ready to start kindergarten!” … and I’m okay with that!
We have close to a week of summer left and instead of making sure my kids are “ready academically” I wanted to make sure they were prepared in a different way. I’ve grown to learn that the academics will come! Children will always be ready to learn. Meeting your child’s developmental needs is more important.
Last year, I focused on making sure we got our school routine down pack. Being that my husband retired from the NFL this past off-season, I don’t think routines will be much of a challenge this time around. My little ones ages range from 14mo – 7 years old, so there are many different factors that I want to focus on prior to school starting. Zahra will be attending school this year and it’s never too early to start working with her on some of these “age appropriate” tips as well!
Here are some areas you can work on at home to help prepare your child for a successful school year:
1. Self-Help
- Opening & closing their lunch box & water bottles
- Pincher grip (fine motor skills to open pre-packaged snacks)
- Dressing themselves (putting on & zipping jackets, snap/button pants, tying shoes, etc.)
2. Language
- Talking to your child will help with build their vocabulary. Expand their knowledge by using bigger words and explain what they mean
- Teach them to ask for what they need
3. Social
- How to wait & take turns
- How to follow 2 & 3 step directions
- How to share/compromise
4. Personal Care
- Washing hands: How to pump soap, properly wash their hands and turn the sink off and dry their hands.
- Closing the bathroom door when using the restroom
5. Coping Skills
– How well does your child express themselves? Being a mom of a child with autism, sometimes self-expression can be hard! Teaching them alternative ways to help them self-regulate will be critical.
- Teach your child about how to utilize their words.
- Incorporate strategies that can help them regulate their emotions.
We all know that starting school can be a little scary and overwhelming. Do your due diligence to help ease your child’s first day jitters. Encourage them that they can do hard things. That, of course, starts in the home! What are some of your “go-to” tips to help your child prepare for school? Share them in the comment box below! Until next time …
