"I hate school. My teacher is mean!” At one time or another, nearly every parent of a school-age youngster has heard their child express their displeasure with the entire educational establishment during a frustrating homework session or after a rough day. While you may initially brush off their dramatic declarations, what do you do if your child seems to be growing increasingly distressed with school and their teacher?
Starting school can be a difficult time for normal kids, let alone for a child who has limited cognitive, social and other developmental skills. Like other kids, children on the spectrum also feel the same excitement and anxiety. This change can be difficult for them: the scenery, the people, their responsibility as students, co-existing with others and so on. This often leads to sudden (and somehow negative) changes in behavior.
Homework and headaches go together like macaroni and cheese, especially now that there seems to be so much to do early on. Cathy McFarland knows the frustration all too well. “When Maddie, my eight-year-old, didn’t understand her math homework, she’d cry and get so upset she’d hyperventilate,” says McFarland. Nightly math meltdowns became the norm. “I finally decided that math wasn’t worth ruining our relationship over. I can be the enforcer with piano practice, nightly reading, baths and bedtime, but I don’t need to be the math czar anymore.” McFarland hired a tutor.
Just about any morning for a family with school-age children can be a tricky balancing act, but especially weekday mornings. Scrambling to find homework, rushing to make breakfast and solving fashion disasters as the clock ticks away can add a lot of unnecessary stress. Chaotic mornings can result in tempers flaring and being late for school or work. Sound familiar? It doesn’t have to be this way. Bring peace and harmony back to your mornings with a little prep the night before and a new morning routine. Follow these seven simple habits for a better, calmer morning.
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