Back to School Schedules

Posted by Lynn Moore Aug 24, 2008

Transitioning into a back to school schedule can be rough for kids and for their parents. Your family might look forward to the routine of school days. Many kids with ADHD and those on the autism spectrum function better when there is a predictable schedule but getting used to the new schedule for fall takes time.

I encourage you to make sure that you have a plan for a schedule that will work for your family. It should include necessary task like household chores, homework, meals, bath time, and fun. . . of course, not in the specific order!

Once you have established the priorities for your child’s day to day activities, you should update his calendar. Using a calendar can help your child understand what is happening next. A predictable world of course is impossible, but establishing a predictable personal routine can make or break your goal as a parent for smooth running for day to day functioning.

Introduce the new schedule to your child. Talk about the who, what, where, and when that it represents. Post the schedule where your child can see it.

Use your conversation to reinforce the schedule. Okay! Today is Saturday. We need to pick up your room and dust. Then we need to shop for groceries. (Point to the Saturday schedule.) When we are finished we are ready for some fun. Should we go to the park or take a bike ride?

Have a plan. Share it with your child, but remember that you will spend several weeks getting everyone into the routine.