Transitions are hard, especially for neurodivergent kids and their families.
Back-to-school can push already tired nervous systems to the edge, which is why regulation comes before conversation. Thoughtfully chosen sensory tools can help kids decompress, feel safe, and settle into their day with more ease.
At Kaiko, our school essentials are designed by an OT and AuDHD mum, grounded in real-life experience, not theory. Practical for younger kids, discreet and confidence-friendly for teens, these tools are here to support calmer transitions and easier days, at school and at home.
TRANSITIONS can suck!
Back to school & work can be HARD! If you’re not exactly floating into it feeling relaxed… same.
“School holidays were relaxing.”
— said no parent ever.
I’m Jo (AuDHD) & mumma of two neurodivergent teen boys. I get asked constantly what I recommend, so, through my lived experience & O.T. lens, I’ve bundled two kits: Primary (quiet + practical + robust) and Secondary+ (robust + quiet + actually cool).
End of day pickup tip: ditch the “How was your day?” — replace with – a safe food snack + something for their hands first.
With holidays for many coming to a close and school about to start again here in Australia, I just want to say: if you’re feeling undercooked, overstimulated, and like you’ve done approximately 4.7 years of parenting in the last six weeks… totally the same.
As a AuDHD adult, OT & mum of two neurodivergent teen boys I know how hard school can be. These days my boys attend an independent school that specialises in neurodivergent learning & support (and it’s been amazing), but we haven’t always had that. It’s been a tough road in terms of school.
And honestly? Transitions are tough for many adults… so imagine doing it with a nervous system that’s still learning how to be in the world.
For some kids, this term is:
- a brand new school
- primary → secondary (BIG jump)
- new teacher, new classmates, new routines
- or simply the end of holidays, where home has been safe, predictable, and full of comfort foods and “the sames”
And as the ‘big people’… we are often walking into that first week already threadbare. Underwater with snorkel on. Barely above water. Combine the two lenses and KAPOW!
The “shaken soft drink bottle” analogy (aka: why pickup can be explosive)
A lot of kids hold it together at school with every ounce of effort they have. Little stressors shake the bottle all day… lid stays intact, all looks cal. AND THEN…. they get to their safe place (you/the car/home) and pssht — lid off, sticky fizz everywhere.
My two biggest after-school tips (from AuDHD mum + OT brain)
1) Try not leading with “How was your day?”
I know. We all want to know. Often they are in fright flight. Words + “tell me now (‘demand’) can often be the equivalent of loosening of the bottle cap of a VERY shaken soft drink bottle…
Try: a calm hello, a smile, and let them land first.
2) Snack + hands = nervous system magic
Two things I’ve found genuinely help that fight/flight pickup moment:
something to eat/chew (because hungry kids = zero tolerance) & crunching/chewing is actually movement that helps with regulation
something for their hands (so their body can regulate through stimming/movement while their brain catches up)
It won’t fix everything (nothing does), but it can take the edge off and make pickup feel less like a daily emotional fireworks show. Once they are a little more regulated, their nervous system has settled, the how was your day
So… what do you actually recommend for school?
I get asked this constantly, so I’ve put together two School Essential Bundles based on what’s worked for our family and what we recommend over and over. These bundles are great if you want the “no decision fatigue” option.
School Essential Bundle – Primary School Edition
Practical, robust, school-friendly tools for younger learners. Built for busy hands, small hands, and real-life school days.
School Essential Bundle – Secondary+ Edition
Discreet, low-profile, “I don’t want this to look like support” tools for older kids/teens/tertiary. Quiet, pocket-friendly, and still genuinely grounding.
If you’re heading into back-to-school feeling a bit… braced — you’re not alone. And if having the right tools on hand makes even one part of the day easier? That matters.
With you (and your snorkel),
Jo x
Kaiko Fidgets
