Reducing Stress at the Start of the School Year

Reducing stress at the start of the school year can help set you, your special needs child, and your family up for a successful school year.

Starting school is both exciting and stressful for everyone. As a parent you may be dealing with increasingly anxious children at this time of year. You may also be returning to work after a break to be home with your child.

While lots of articles are dedicated to helping parents ease the process for children, let’s look at ways to make the start of a new school easier for special needs parents.

Steps to Take the Week Before the Start of the School Year

Focus on Preparations

• Think about what has been stressful in recent years during back to school time. You probably know what stresses you child, but what has stressed you in the past? Once you have a list, you can brainstorm solutions to prevent or reduce the stress. For example, I know that each year I will have a pile of forms to fill out. This year, I have given myself an extension and will fill them out the first week of school, but not the first night on top of everything else. I will also have a nice warm beverage to enjoy while filling out the forms.
• Give yourself extra time to gather up and to purchase back to school items and foods. Some items can wait until your child is in school and you have a better understanding of what is needed. This is also a nice time to get yourself a few fresh school supplies like a planner, a fresh notebook, or a few nice pens.
• Make a meal plan for the first week of school. This should include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and any special food items you might enjoy. I have procrastinated on this popular advice for many years, until now! I made a list of meals I can easily make during the week and had each child mark off the meals they liked. From that list, I chose four meals and wrote them down and put the list on the fridge. It helped with grocery shopping and helped reduce decision fatigue. No more stress when asked, “what’s for dinner mom?” on the drive home. 
• Wardrobe plan. This year I have started setting apart the five items I will be wearing during the week. This reduces decision fatigue and makes getting ready in the morning that much easier.

Steps to Take the First Week of the School Year

• Give yourself grace. Bumps will happen. Expect them and keep an attitude of “we are all starting something new.”
• Build in rest time. This can be a few extra minutes of downtime when you get home from work. Change clothes to mark the transition from school/work to home. Set an earlier bedtime by 10-15 minutes for everyone, including you.
• Have something to look forward to at the end of the week. This year we are looking forward to my daughter’s favorite take out for Friday dinner and going to a movie my son has been looking forward to seeing. I still need to pick out something fun just for myself! Mini things to look forward to in the evenings helps as well. This could be an episode of a new tv series, a chapter of an audiobook, or starting a new puzzle or hobby.
• Avoid other major changes or commitments this week if possible. This will help you focus on the major changes that come with the start of a school year.
• Start building relationships. Send your child’s teacher a thank you email. If you drop off your child at school, smile at another parent. If you are at the bus stop, strike up a conversation with another parent.
• Try some additional strategies found in our post Dealing with Worry as a Special Needs Parent.

Conclusion: Reducing Stress at the Start of the School Year

Reducing stress at the start of the school year can be achieved through a few small changes and preparations. Take time to rest during this season and find small things to look forward to as you address the many challenges that come with the start of a new school year.

Connect with other Special Needs Parents on our Full Cup Caregiver Facebook Page. Share ways you reduce stress at the start of a school year.

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