1.     Put key rings on the ends of zippers to make them easier to pull.

2.     Help your child practice packing and unpacking their school bag.

3.     Colour code folders by subject to make them easier to find.

4.     Put pencils and other writing materials in an easy to open container.

5.     Put your child’s pencil box in a side pocket that is easy to find and let her practice finding it quickly by having her retrieve the pencils from this pocket when colouring at home.

6.     Find a lunch box that your child can open without assistance.

7.     Have your child practice unpacking lunch items by packing your child’s lunch as if he was going to school and watch him unpack it at home.  Cellophane and foil wrapping on sandwiches is notoriously difficult for children.  Juice boxes can also be difficult.  Notice any items he may have trouble with and modify how you pack.

8.     Make sure your child can recognize her name in print.  You don’t need to practice this in a formal way- put her name at her place at the table and on her bedroom door and she will learn it quickly.

9.     Have your child practice raising her hand to ask questions when she needs help or has a question.

10. Ask the teacher to make a picture schedule for your child to follow so that he knows what activity comes next.  This will greatly increase the rate of compliance and independence.

11.   When your child comes home from school, have a set routine of putting the bag away and when and how homework is completed.   Once this routine is set your child can be much more independent and, again, will be more compliant.  Make sure that a pleasurable activity follows homework (e.g., a snack or outdoor play.)

12.  Have your child practice putting on her uniform and wearing it to get used to it, particularly when needing the toilet.

13.  Make sure your child knows where the toilet is in school and that teachers and others at school know how much (and how LITTLE!) help your child may need.  Sometimes well- meaning people can over help.

14.  Ask that a “buddy” walks in and out of school with your child so that she does not have an adult walking alongside her unless necessary.  Your child would likely prefer to walk with a peer and it does not single her out.

15. This is probably the most obvious and most important thing you can do.  Tell her often how BIG she is and how great she is at doing things herself.  When she does something independently (no matter how small), make a big deal of it.  Tell others how fantastic she is for packing her own bag, even if she didn’t get it quite right.  First we want her to keep trying and then we can work on refining skills.

 

© Ann Haig Wheeler, DSC 2009

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