08/30/2026
BACK TO SCHOOL
The backpacks are coming out, lunch bags are being labelled and bedtimes are slowly getting a little earlier. A new school year is almost here!
For many autistic and neurodivergent children and youth, back to school can bring some BIG feelings.
A new classroom. A different teacher. New classmates. Busy hallways. School buses. Bells. Lunchrooms. Changes in routines.
Even exciting changes can feel overwhelming.
As we prepare for back to school, a few gentle things may help:
Begin bringing familiar sleep, meal and morning routines back.
Talk about what school will look like. Pictures, calendars, social stories or even a practice trip to school may help make things feel more predictable.
Let your child be part of the preparation, choosing a snack, packing their backpack or picking out their first day clothes can give them a little sense of control.
Remember that behaviour is communication. Extra emotions, anxiety or frustration may simply be their way of saying, “This feels really big right now.”
And perhaps one of the most important things we can remember…
Leave room for the after-school exhale.
Holding it together all day can take an incredible amount of energy.
Some children will come home wanting to express everything. Others may need quiet, movement, a favourite activity, a familiar snack or simply some time without questions.
There doesn’t have to be a perfect first day, or even a perfect first week.
Sometimes success is walking through the school doors.
Sometimes it’s trying something new.
Sometimes it’s asking for a break and sometimes it’s simply coming home knowing there is a safe place to land.
Here’s to a school year filled with patience, kindness, understanding and lots of little victories worth celebrating.
DifferentNotLess
