08/01/2025
✏️The smell of freshly sharpened pencils. The sound of zippers on new backpacks. The sudden realization that no one remembers how to wake up before 9 AM. Yep — it’s back to school time!🏫
For students with ADHD (and let’s be honest, their parents too), the return to school brings excitement… and anxiety.
💭Will the new teacher “get” them?
🤔Will they find their classroom?
😟Will they remember to put pants on before the bus comes?
Let’s walk through a few strategies that can help settle nerves and start the year on a calmer note! (Even if your family still can’t find that one missing sneaker.)
1. Name the Nerves ⚠️
Anxiety often shows up in disguise: tummy aches, restlessness, big emotions, or a sudden need to rewatch every episode of Bluey. Help your child (or yourself!) put a name to it.
Try this:
“Sounds like your brain is running a bunch of ‘what ifs’ right now. Let’s write them down and see which ones we can solve — and which ones we can toss in the worry bin.”
2. Create a Visual Countdown🗓️
The unknown can feel overwhelming, so make it visible. Count down the days until school starts and sprinkle in fun milestones (Backpack Day! Lunchbox Planning! Practice Run to School!).
Try this:
Make a simple paper chain or calendar and involve your child in decorating it. Add stickers or funny doodles along the way to make it a celebration — not a countdown to doom.
3. Start the Routine — Gently🕙
The transition from summer sleep-ins to early alarms is no one’s idea of fun. Start shifting sleep and morning routines in small chunks a week or two before school starts. Think of it as a practice lap — not a drill sergeant operation.
Try this:
Move bedtime and wake-up time 15 minutes earlier each day. And yes, breakfast can still include waffles shaped like dinosaurs.
4. Try a Visual Schedule📝
Predictability lowers anxiety — especially for kids who struggle with executive function. A simple picture-based or color-coded schedule can help them know what’s coming next.
Try this:
Use magnets, dry-erase boards, or printable icons for morning and afternoon routines. Let your child help design it so they feel ownership (and maybe even a little excitement).
5. Practice a Little Mindfulness (Really — Just a Little!)🕊️
You don’t have to sit cross-legged on a mountain. A few moments of calm breathing or a quiet activity before bed can reset an anxious brain and signal safety.
Try this:
“Smell the flower, blow out the candle” breathing. Or listen to a calming audio story together. (Bonus: Play Attention families — this is a great time to use your new mindfulness app!)
6. Make a Worry Box or Backpack🎒
Sometimes kids just need a place to put their worries. Create a small “worry box” at home — or a tiny version to keep in their backpack.
Try this:
Have them write or draw their worry and place it in the box. Explain that it’s okay to have worries — and that it’s also okay to set them down sometimes.
7. Remind Them (and Yourself): They’ve Done Hard Things Before💗
New years are scary, but they’ve started school before. They’ve met new teachers, figured out new routines, and survived last year’s cafeteria meatloaf. They can do this.
Try this:
Start a “Look What I Did” list and add small wins as they happen — getting out the door on time, remembering homework, or making it through the first day without hiding in the bathroom.
Anxiety doesn’t mean your child isn’t ready. It means they care. A little preparation, a little humor, and a lot of grace can go a long way.
And hey, if the morning gets rocky, remember: mismatched socks build character‼️
Want to build executive function skills that last well beyond the first day of school? Learn how Play Attention’s NASA-inspired neurotechnology can help your child (and you) stay focused, calm, and confident all year long.
📞Contact our Neurofeedback Play Attention Coordinator, Lei, for a free phone consultation or to learn more information!
Leila@clinicforspecialchildren.net or 910-319-7744 Ext112.
The smell of freshly sharpened pencils. The sound of zippers on new backpacks. The sudden realization that no one remembers how to wake up…
