Back to School: Tips for the New Year

As a parent, I know the feeling well. The moment the calendar flips from July to August, your head starts to spin - questions and checklists forming in your head.

• Do they fit in their clothes from last year

• Check the teacher assignment

• Remember to get a status update on backpacks and lunchboxes

• Make a shopping list for a supply run (…where do I find those supply lists again?)

However, as a parent of a child who does not fit the mold, the new year is often plagued by a rush of different worries.

• How do I start to prepare my child for this transition?

• Will my child’s teacher understand their needs?

• Will their education plan be followed?

• Will they be understood and accepted by their peers? Will they make friends?

• Will I have to keep fighting for what they need?

An all too familiar feeling of overwhelm sets in.

• Do they fit in th