Tomorrow starts a new week. And for many of us, September means school routines, IEPs, therapies, appointments, lunches, forms, emails, transportation, activities…and a whole lot of mental load. So today’s reset isn’t about adding something else to your list. It’s about taking something OFF. Ask yourself: What am I carrying right now that I can let go of? Maybe it’s… • The pressure to have the perfect morning routine before school starts. • The guilt over something you didn’t accomplish this summer. • Comparing your child’s progress to someone else’s. • Feeling like you need to anticipate every possible problem before the first day. • A household task that can absolutely wait. • The idea that you have to do everything yourself. Then choose one thing you are giving yourself permission to release this week. Your child does not need a perfectly prepared parent walking into September. They need you. And you are allowed to enter this school year with unfinished lists, unanswered questions and things you’re still figuring out. Finish this sentence in the comments: “This week, I’m giving myself permission to let go of ______.”

Middle school asks kids to manage a lot independently: multiple classes, different teachers, folders, notebooks, Chromebooks, homework, papers — and a locker somewhere in the middle of all of it. For a student who struggles with executive functioning, “Go to your locker and get what you need” can actually involve a whole series of steps they have to remember and complete on their own. So I created a new Locker Checklist you can print, laminate and keep right inside the locker. It walks students through: 🎒 Figuring out which class is next 📚 Gathering the materials they need ✅ Doing a quick check before leaving the locker 🏠 Checking each subject for what needs to come home 🔌 Remembering things like Chromebooks, chargers and planners 🔒 Doing one final check before closing the locker at the end of the day TIP: Laminate it and attach it to the inside of the locker with magnets. Add a dry-erase marker so your child can check items off throughout the day and reset it for tomorrow. You can change the size to make it as wide as the locker or small for only one section. I recommend mounting it on the locker door with a dry erase marker. And remember: sometimes organization struggles aren't about a child being careless or “not paying attention.” We may be asking them to hold too many steps in their head at once. The goal of a visual checklist is to move those steps out of their head and put them somewhere they can see them. Download the Locker Checklist below and give it a try. If your child has a specific middle school organization challenge, drop it in the comments — I’m building more supports around this topic!

The other week, we practiced getting comfortable with water on the face and hair. This week, we’re taking the next step: learning the routine of washing hair. Hair washing can be a lot to manage. There’s water, shampoo, rubbing, rinsing, keeping eyes closed and figuring out where your hands need to go — all while standing in the shower. Instead of expecting your child to master the entire process at once, we’re going to break hair washing into smaller, teachable steps. This Week, Practice: - Let your child choose or hold the shampoo. - Practice dispensing the right amount into their hand. - Rub hands together before touching the hair. - Practice reaching the front, sides, top and back of the head. - Use a mirror outside the shower to show where shampoo needs to go. - Practice the scrubbing motion with dry hair first if needed. - Introduce rinsing only after the washing steps become more familiar. - Use the same words and sequence each time. Try This: Teach coverage before cleanliness. At first, don't worry about whether your child is washing their hair perfectly. The first goal can simply be learning how to move their hands around their entire head. You can even turn it into a simple pattern: Front → Side → Back → Side → Top Once the motor pattern becomes familiar, you can work on scrubbing longer, using the right amount of shampoo and rinsing thoroughly. Remember: If your child can dispense the shampoo independently but still needs help scrubbing, that's progress. If they can scrub but need help rinsing, that's progress. We're building the routine one step at a time. 🌟 BONUS CHALLENGE: Take Hair Washing OUT of the Shower! Sometimes the easiest place to learn a shower skill is nowhere near the shower. Before adding water, noise and all the sensory demands of the bathroom, practice the motions of hair washing somewhere your child is already comfortable. Try it at the kitchen table, in front of a mirror or even outside. 🎨 Make it visual: Check out this week's video to see how we use colored shaving cream to practice.

One of the biggest hurdles to showering isn't the routine itself—it's how water feels. For many autistic children and other sensory-sensitive individuals, water hitting different parts of the body can be overwhelming. That's why this week isn't about taking a full shower. It's about building comfort, one step at a time. This Week's Goal: Help your child become comfortable with water touching: 💧 Hands 💧 Arms 💧 Feet 💧 Shoulders 💧 Torso Success Looks Like: Your child stays calm while water touches these areas—even if it's only for a few seconds at first. Remember: calm is the goal, not perfection. Try These Ideas - Start with a washcloth or damp sponge before using running water. - Let your child control the water whenever possible. - Use warm (or preferred temperature) water consistently. - Practice one body part at a time. - Celebrate every small success, even if it's just touching the water. Every positive experience teaches your child's nervous system that water is safe. Those small moments build confidence, and confidence builds independence. We'd love to hear from you! Which body part has been the easiest so far? Which has been the biggest challenge? Share your wins and questions below so we can support each other.

As caregivers, we get very good at doing things quickly. Packing the backpack. Finding the shoes. Filling the water bottle. Choosing the clothes. Carrying everything out the door. Sometimes it’s simply easier to do it ourselves. But today’s reset isn’t about adding another thing to your list. It’s about taking one thing off. Think about one small task you regularly do for your child that they might be ready to participate in — even if they can’t do the whole thing independently yet. Maybe they can: - Put their water bottle in their backpack - Place their shoes by the door - Choose between two outfits - Add a star or a check to their reward chart themselves - Pick out their own towel before a shower or bath They may need a visual. They may need prompting. They may need you to complete part of the task. That still counts. Your Sunday Reset: Before tonight is over, choose ONE thing you normally do for your child that they can practice doing with you, or instead of you, this week.