Back to School Prep for ADHD Kids

If you have kids who need support at school, Back to School has a whole different meaning. Yes, heading back to school means gathering all the supplies, getting some new shoes and finding yourself in a new routine.

But, if your kids have ADD/ADHD, going back to school can mean extra stress and anxiety, navigating new teachers or making sure your child’s IEP is still in place and known to all the school staff he will be encountering.

In short, back to school prep for ADHD kids and their parents can fell like a lot. We hare at fuzzymama have had a combined 30 back to school preps, so we are passing along just the most important preparation tips to make this time easier for you and your kiddo.

Back to School Prep to Best support your kid

1. Get them the right tools

An important part of back to school prep is getting the right school supplies and study tools for your kid. What your child needs and what works for them is so individualized. The right school supplies for home and school can involve some trial and error.

These have worked for a lot of messy kids:

Case-It Binder – I know there are lots of binder out there, but Case-It binders last for MULTIPLE YEARS and have some amazing features. This is the one my kids have had for four years!! We have had other brands and they have not lasted more than a year.
Case-It Accordian insert – this is the HOLY GRAIL of organization – or at least it has been for my two boys with ADHD. I am listing this separate from the Binder because this is an insert that you may have to order separately if it does not come with your binder.
Small wipe boards – Lists help our kids, period. Getting a small wipe board, or two, is super helpful for many, many things. You can help them create lists for what to put in their backpack, homework assignments to remember, show them how to do a math problem, write out the steps of an English essay, craft an email they will send to a teacher….the list goes on and one. We’ve had two of them for 10 years and counting!!
Timetimer Visual Timer – Our favorite tool for home and school! Setting a visual timer, like the Timetimer, can be very motivating for kids. I used to buy one for my kids’ teachers every year and they were always a big hit.

2. Meet the teachers.

You will want to establish good communication with teachers as early as possible.

The best thing is meeting a teacher face to face (even if this means online). Take advantage of back to school nights and orientations to have you and your child begin to get comfortable with their classroom and teacher.

Even if you have to request a one on one meeting via Zoom with your child’s teacher, it’s completely worth your time and effort to try to arrange this.

Orientation night is a great time to check things out, but most likely this is not the time to have any real informative conversations about your child. Teachers are overwhelmed and have so much on their mind for the for first week or so of school.

Introduce yourself and your child. Let them know you’d love to have a longer conversation once the year gets underway. Exchange emails so you can set something up after the first week or so.

You will most likely have to create the opportunity to introduce yourself and your child more in depth. The more you can share about your child the better.

3. Send an email.

Whether you are able to meet with teachers in person or not, during the first weeks of school, t’s super helpful for teachers if you send them something in writing about your kiddo.

It could be just a summary of what you talked about in person – what works for your child, how you are supporting them at home, and any questions you may have.

If your school does not have an orientation night early on in the year and you are not able to see them face to face before school starts, send a quick email introducing yourself and your child. Request a meeting once the year gets underway.

Teachers love to get as much information about a student as possible. Any insight you can give into how your kid works is so helpful.

4. Do not hide your child’s struggles From teachers.

This is a bad idea, all around.

As a teacher for over 25 years, I have had parents tell me, “Well this is strange, it’s never happened before” after a first week of constant behavioral or academic challenging issues. I don’t believe them and it makes for a bad relationship from the start.

The more information you can give a teacher about your child, the better. Include past test scores, neuropsyche evaluations, a list of what has worked in the past, etc.

Benefits of Getting a Neuropsychological Test

5. Set up a meeting with the school psychologist.

You might already know this person very well – and that’s a plus! But take a minute to check in – either in person, if convenient, or with a quick email.

You never know when you will need to call on the school psychologist or social worker for help.

There were many times during middle and high school that my son was in a rough place and I was able to send a quick email and the psychologist made time during the day to check in with him. Priceless.

It’s a great idea to update any changes that have happened over the summer and express how grateful you are to be working with them this year. Support staff work really hard and love to hear a bit of appreciation.

6. Inquire about a meeting to modify a 504 or IEP.

If your kiddo already has a 504 plan or IEP, they will notify you when it’s time to have a review of accommodations. But, no harm in sending an inquiry ahead of time to check in.

You can notify their academic coordinator of any changes over the summer or any modifications that may need to be made to their current plan.

If your child does not yet have special accommodations, inquire with the school counselor as soon as possible to see if you can get a meeting set up or get the ball rolling to get your child extra services.

7. Talk with your family therapist.

If you have a therapist that you see regularly, make sure to schedule an appointment close to the beginning of school to talk about any anxiety that may crop up.

Your therapist may get very booked, so be sure to choose your time slot for the year as soon as possible.

If you don’t yet have a therapist, it’s a great thing to consider! Having an unbiased third party can be super helpful. They can also serve as an advocate for you at IEP and 504 meetings.

Getting ahead of any anxiety or back to school jitters can really make the transition easier. The more you can help your kiddo be prepared, and get support in place, the better the whole experience will go to pave the way for a great year.