What’s inside this article: Practical tips and strategies to help your child adjust to new teachers or a new school. These strategies help reduce anxiety in autistic children who struggle with change and transitions.
My son started at a new school this year. It’s the first time we’ve made this kind of transition in many years, and it definitely came with some anxiety for both of us.
New teachers, new students, a new building – walking into something completely unfamiliar is stressful. So, I wanted to share some helpful tips and strategies for helping children adjust to new teachers or a new school.
Why Transitions Can Be Difficult for Kids
Transitions are changes – either in a child’s routine or environment or changing from one thing to another.
A transition, such as starting at a new school or meeting new teachers, can be overwhelming for children. This type of big change disrupts their sense of security and familiarity.
Even the anticipation of these changes can lead to sleepless nights or emotional outbursts.
If your child is autistic or has ADHD, these transitions may be even more challenging. Neurodiverse kids often rely on predictability and routine to feel grounded.
The shift to an unfamiliar environment, plus new unknown expectations and social scenarios, can cause anxiety or behavioral difficulties.
Adjusting to new teachers, new classmates, and an unfamiliar space means processing a lot of new information at once, which may have your child feeling overwhelmed.
As a parent, the best thing you can do is understand how difficult this change may be for your child and do what you can to support them through this period using strategies that help establish new routines and prepare them so they know what to expect.
Preparation Tips Before the First Day
Preparing your child ahead of time makes a significant difference.
Start talking about the upcoming change in school or teacher well in advance. Describe the new environment positively and provide plenty of reassurance that this change is something they can handle.
Before the first day of school:
- Visit the New School or Classroom: Take a tour of the new school or classroom before the first day. Your child should have the opportunity to meet their teacher(s) and see the space. This can help reduce anxiety by creating a sense of familiarity.
- Maintain Other Predictable Routines: Establish or maintain a consistent morning and evening routine before school starts. This gives your child a sense of stability at home while other areas of their life have more uncertainty than usual.
- Use Visual Supports: Visual schedules or social scripts that show the steps involved in starting a new school can help your child visualize what will happen and feel more prepared. If possible, get pictures inside the new school or classroom on your tour and look at them regularly with your child.
- Role Play School Scenarios: For younger children, practice school-related scenarios at home, such as raising their hand, introducing themselves, or following directions.
Preparing your child for the new school or teacher ahead of time helps support them through the transition by assisting them to know what to expect.
Communication with Teachers
Before your child starts at a new school or with a new teacher, it’s important to communicate with their teachers. This is especially true for children with special needs.
Make sure your child’s teachers know about:
- Your child’s strengths and challenges: Discuss what they’re good at and which skills will likely require extra support.
- Their special interests, likes, and dislikes: This can help their teacher build rapport and motivate your child.
- Sensory sensitivities: This is especially important if your child struggles with sensory overload. Be sure also to discuss potential solutions and accommodations.
- Behavioral triggers: If things like being called on in front of the class or unstructured activities present behavioral challenges for your child, make sure their teachers know ahead of time.
- Cues that your child is stressed: Do they put their head down? Fidget with their pencil? Ensure your child’s teacher knows how to recognize if your child needs a break.
- Follow up regularly: Keep in touch with your child’s teacher regularly after they start school. This helps you and the teacher work together collaboratively, and you can address any potential issues early.
Allow for After School Decompression
After a long day at school, children often need time to unwind and process everything they’ve experienced. Creating a calming space at home and time to do preferred activities with low demands can help your child decompress.
Consider:
- Setting up a dedicated area for your child, such as a calming corner, for downtime after school.
- Provide appropriate sensory supports for their needs, such as a sensory swing or a weighted blanket.
- Allowing time with low or no demands, like letting them play video games, watch TV, play with toys, etc. before expecting them to do chores or homework.
Building out your child’s afterschool routine this way allows them to have some time and space to rest without feeling pressured to follow more demands right away. This can help your child’s nervous system relax, make them feel safe and secure, and reduce their anxiety.
Help Your Child Build New Friendships
Building new friendships is a big challenge and a cause of fear for kids starting at a new school. It may be especially hard for neurodiverse children who struggle with social skills.
Help your child make new friends by:
- Role-play social situations like introducing themselves to new classmates or asking to join a game at recess.
- Connect with other parents in your community to arrange playdates outside of school.
- Join a club or sport that interests your child.
- Come up with ideas for how to break the ice with other students in their class. For example, have them keep an extra pencil in their bag so they can offer it if they hear another child looking for one.
Support Their Emotional Well-Being
Adapting after a big transition can take time, and it’s essential to be mindful of how your child is coping emotionally.
Look out for signs of anxiety, disturbances in their sleep, and reluctance to go to school.
If you notice they’re struggling to cope emotionally:
- Offer emotional support and validation through emotion coaching.
- Practice coping strategies together, such as deep breathing or journaling.
- Take a day off from school together for their mental health. Although attendance is important, spending quality time together can give them the break they need and create an opportunity for them to open up to you about what they’re finding hard about the change.
- If they continue to have a hard time, seek professional support, either through their school counselor or a therapist.
It’s important to make sure your child feels understood and supported when they go through a challenging time.
Remember, adjusting to a new teacher or new school takes time. It’s important to be patient and supportive of your child.
By preparing them in advance, creating predictable routines, offering sensory support, and staying connected with their teachers, you’ll help your child handle this new chapter like a pro.