Back-to-School Prep Checklist

Print this and post it somewhere visible.

Everything that matters — before school starts, on the morning of day 1, and through the first week.

Before School Starts

☐School schedule / classroom assignment received
☐Meet the teacher or school walkthrough scheduled
☐"About [Name]" intro sheet drafted and sent to teacher
☐Sensory accommodation request submitted (if sensory triggers apply)
☐Social story built and read at least 3 times
☐Visual schedule built and practiced at home
☐Sensory backpack kit assembled (headphones, fidget, comfort item, connection object)
☐Goodbye ritual established, written down, and practiced

Morning of Day 1

☐Everything laid out the night before — backpack, clothes, lunch, kit
☐Extra 15 minutes of buffer built into the morning
☐Visual morning routine followed without deviation
☐Goodbye ritual completed — exact words, exact sequence
☐Drop-off: ritual complete → leave. Do not linger.

First Week

☐After-school decompression routine in place — low demand, preferred activity
☐Meltdown Tracker log started at /tools/meltdown-tracker
☐Day 1 or day 2 teacher check-in completed
☐Support strategies identified and in place for the top 2 anxiety triggers

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Back-to-School Anxiety Toolkit

Build a personalized prep plan for your child's back-to-school anxiety — triggers, strategies, countdown action plan, communication scripts, and Day 1 survival tips.

“Every child's back-to-school anxiety looks different. Answer a few questions and we'll build a toolkit that fits your child's specific triggers, transition, and support needs.”

Child's first name (optional)

Used to personalize your toolkit — leave blank if you prefer.

What transition is your child making this year? *

What are your child's biggest anxiety triggers right now? (Check all that apply)

You can select as many as apply — we'll generate strategies for each one.

How far away is the first day of school? *

What level of support does your child receive at school? *

How does your child communicate? *

Before School Starts

☐School schedule / classroom assignment received

☐Meet the teacher or school walkthrough scheduled

☐"About [Name]" intro sheet drafted and sent to teacher

☐Sensory accommodation request submitted (if sensory triggers apply)

☐Social story built and read at least 3 times

☐Visual schedule built and practiced at home

☐Sensory backpack kit assembled (headphones, fidget, comfort item, connection object)

☐Goodbye ritual established, written down, and practiced