Back to School: Anxious, Relieved, or Both? - The Autism Mums Podcast | Lyssna här

In this episode of The Autism Mums Podcast, we're talking about the new school year and everything that comes with it — for our children and for us.

We share where we both are right now: one of us with a youngest starting mainstream school for the very first time, the other with one child going back to specialist school for what could be a final year and another moving into an EOTAS package that nobody can yet describe. We talk honestly about the anxiety that starts building in mid-August, the dread of going back to the phone calls and the meetings, and the guilt that can come with feeling relieved that term is finally starting again.

We also get practical. We cover uniform and sensory sensitivities, easing sleep and routine back into place, social stories and settling-in visits, what decompression can look like after school, and how to prepare for those first conversations with school.

Whatever this time of year brings up for you, we hope this one helps you feel a little less alone.

Key Takeaways

Back to school can bring anxiety, dread, relief and guilt all at once, and every one of those feelings is valid
Feeling relieved that term is starting again doesn't make you a bad parent — it means you're human
The lack of routine and support over the holidays can be as hard on families as term time is
For some children, losing routine affects their eating and sleeping, and getting back to school is exactly what they need
Going back is rarely just going back — new classrooms, new teachers and new timetables all add to the load
Sending timetables or changes home at the end of term can backfire if there's nobody available to talk them through
Uniform can be a significant sensory barrier, and seamless socks, softer fabrics and cutting out labels can all help
Wearing new uniform and shoes at home before term starts spreads the change out instead of landing it all on day one
You can ask for reasonable adjustments to uniform if it's a genuine barrier to your child's education
Shifting bedtimes gradually in the weeks before term makes the first morning less of a shock
Social stories, settling-in visits and using the school site over the holidays can make a new school feel familiar
Decompression after school matters, and it looks different for every child — movement and noise for some, quiet and solitude for others
“How was your day?” can be too big a question, and smaller, specific ones asked at the right moment often work better
Emailing school just before term starts can get meetings and support in place early, while staff are less stretched
Preparing for school meetings with notes, logs and specific examples makes it much easier to be heard
Leaving a meeting with clear next steps — who is doing what, by when, and when it will be reviewed — stops things drifting
You are doing your best under very difficult circumstances

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