ADHD Survival Kit: Back-to-School Armor Series

Do you ever wish you had a secret backpack in your classroom that you could pull from if things felt tricky or sticky during the school day!? Well, maybe we CAN! Let's build a kit that helps your beautiful, brilliant brain shine bright each day!  In this episode, I want to help you build your very own ADHD survival kit for the school setting... Tool #1- A visual clock/timer for your space to keep track of when you need to do what (combat time blindness) Tool#2- Fidgets or those calm strips we were talking so much about! (Find your focus with the fidgets that work best for you! Hint- You don't always have to go out and buy one! Use your creativity and what is around the house!) Tool#3- Break Pass- Create a card to use when things feel like too much and you need to reset, regulate and then rejoin the activity you are doing! (walk in the hall, trip to the fountain, visit a trusted adult or a sensory room if available.) Tool #4- A notepad or whiteboard- Write down brain dumps, ideas or reminders! Release your thoughts so you can refocus on the learning ahead. Use for doodling as a method for better listening and engaging in the content as well! We don't have to look to be listening!  Tool #5- Calming Strategies- Add a breathing trick or calming word as a thought reframe to your kit! Practice breathing strategies to investigate and find what works best for you so you can add it to your kit for school! Tool #6- A Comfort Item or Drawing- Choose something that makes you feel safe, loved, or happy when things feel hard. ( A drawing, journal page, family photo, or even your favorite squishy!) Remember that some days you might need different tools. You can always change out your tools and add more when needed too! Continue to practice the art of flexibilty and personalize things to make them more desirable to use too!  Talk to your trusted adult about creating a picture of what your ADHD survival kit would look like. This would be fun to do as a class when school starts too! Please reach out and send me what you create as well so I can include your brilliant ideas in future episodes! You can connect with me either on my website www.katelynmabry.com or email me directly at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you! Love you all!   Intro music credit: http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day