As a mom with a special needs son, I am certainly overwhelmed with the uncertainty and struggles this school year. Homeschooling, virtual learning, hybrid learning or transitioning to a private school are some of the options to consider, but are BIG changes! As an occupational therapist, I have educated parents on strategies for adjusting to change. The child will learn to manage transitions through his or her parent modeling the technique.
Some tips include:
- Communication with your child’s teacher, your partner, your child and other supports is necessary for clarification and to determine expectations. I find it helpful to have a list of each teacher’s email and class syllabus.
- Creating a visible schedule for each child and include important information. (ie., teacher’s name, virtual meeting ID and password, required textbooks, handouts, etc) to ensure your child is prepared for the virtual lesson. I have also recently added a “PLAN B” and “PLAN C” to our schedule since road bumps are inevitable and will help develop resilience.
- Research additional supports for each subject at school. One concern parents have voiced is that their child isn’t receiving the 90-minute instruction for each class. One teacher suggested referring to the class syllabus to determine which subject was being taught that week. Then begin your search for alternate hands-on activities to supplement his/her learning. Below are some websites to get you started:
- Talk with your child about this process. It is important to reassure your child that this is all going to work out fine and that everyone is working together to get through the school year. It may be important to reinforce that challenges are common and that you can provide them with tools to overcome challenges.
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TOOLS FOR OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
- Determination – overcoming frustration is hard work! One strategy I teach my students is to “Breathe, Think, Do”. This requires lots of practice.
- Mindfulness and ‘returning to your breath’ are valuable skills for managing stress.
- Exploring emotions (identifying, expressing, and managing). Ask your child what they are feeling and ask how you can help.
- Being patient – Develop the concept of waiting for one step at a time. Stay calm and tackle problems with a positive attitude. Use reflective listening. Set a timer for your child to learn what ‘2 minutes’ feels like. Encourage coping mechanisms (for example, playing ‘heads or tails’ with a coin to engage your child if you’ll be waiting at a particular place) Acknowledge and reward your child for demonstrating patience.
- Overcoming disappointments and learning from mistakes - Use these as opportunities to determine how to manage and learn from the experience.
Ultimately, these strategies will improve your child’s confidence and independence in solving problems for themselves. Wishing your family success this school year!
 | About the author: Amy Higgs is the founder of OT on the Go in Virginia. OT on the Go was created to bring occupational therapy to rural areas, private schools and daycares throughout Southwest Virginia with the unique sensory bus. Amy received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy degree from American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2000, and has since continued advanced studies in pediatric occupational therapy including neuro-developmental and sensory integration. She is Nationally Board Certified by the National Board for Occupational Therapy (OTR) and is licensed (L) to practice in Virginia. Learn more at www.otonthego.org. |
