7 Ways to Prep Children with ADHD for School

Parents are no doubt already feeling the stress of the fast-approaching school year. If you have a child with ADHD, you may face some unique challenges when preparing for the school year. Here are seven things you can do to make the transition a bit smoother:

1. Get in contact with your child’s teachers. If you’re able, start discussing the learning approaches that best align with your kid’s abilities. It’s worth noting the study/focus tools they use, such as whether they learn better standing or sitting, and whether they prefer quiet or music.
2. Teach your child to advocate for themselves. Depending on their age, they may be able to notice when their attention is wandering, when they’re becoming overstimulated, or when they need a break. Help them recognize these signs, and come up with a script for them to ask for assistance respectfully.
3. Start establishing a routine. It’s common for individuals with ADHD to have a circadian rhythm that starts later in the day, meaning they sleep and wake up later than a neurotypical. To make the shift to a school schedule easier, aim to start waking up your child at earlier times in the day to adjust before school begins.
4. Get a calendar. Find a physical calendar, whiteboard, or app that works well for you and your child. Practice using it a few weeks in advance to ensure familiarity. These can be useful for keeping track of deadlines, assignments, field trips, appointments, and other important dates.
5. Consider starting the curriculum early. If you/your child has the time, going over the first unit for each class (or finding a tutor to do the same) can give your child a leg up and ease academic stress while adjusting to a school schedule.
6. Get extra school supplies. Pencils, pens, erasers, etc, can all be lost quite easily. Get a jump on the problem by buying lots of extras in advance.
7. Book a meeting with a psychologist. A professional can provide you with a more individualized plan for the school year. It can also ease stress to have a counsellor your child is already comfortable with heading into the year, rather than trying to find one throughout. At Allegro, ADHD is one of our specializations; for more information, please click here.