The age that children enter middle school varies. In one school, the youngest children are in 5th grade, while in other schools, the youngest children are in 6th or 7th grade. At any rate, the middle school years can be treacherous for children with ADHD, from the changes in the organization of their classes, to the independence that is required of them, to the rapidly changing social mores.
You can see, therefore, why I call this a treacherous time. How can you prepare your child with ADHD for the upcoming challenges? Elementary schools typically take a tour of the middle school, probably in the Spring, which is far away in time for the child with ADHD to remember much about the school.
I would take your child on another tour in August. Trust me that the school does not mind. In that way, as a start, he will have a picture in his mind of the configuration of the school. Additionally, before you take a second tour, however, I would design a faux schedule, so you can show him how to go from room to room in the allotted time, as if that schedule was his actual one.
I would also try to begin a series of conversations, which will continue as the year progresses, on the various essential difficulties that are bound to sprout up during the middle school years. For example, here are a few possible areas of difficulty that your child might experience:
Finding students with interests similar to your child’s interests
Being included with other children at recess or lunch
Using social media or text messaging, (outside of school) so that he can build and develop his friendships
Joining in with clubs or activities
Being accountable for his school work
Being aware of social activities
Joining in with social activities after school and/or on weekends
We will be discussing these topics in my next blog entry.
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