There are some weeks where it feels like everything is falling apart. Meltdowns, changed plans, school calls, surprise bills, or just sheer exhaustion can throw our whole world off balance. As a parent—especially raising a neurodivergent teen—you start to realize that you can’t control everything. But you can control some things. And that matters more than we think.

One of the most powerful tools I’ve found to bring calm into our chaos is routine. Not the rigid, schedule-every-minute kind. But the dependable, calming kind. The kind that tells our brains and bodies: you are safe here.

Because the first week back is hard — for both of us.

The first week back at school is never easy. But when you’re parenting a neurodivergent teen, it can feel like walking a tightrope — hoping you’ve done enough, packed the right lunch, and remembered all the supports they’ll need when the overwhelm hits.

We’re feeling it this week. The nerves, the resistance, the tension in the air.