Hey Friend,
The new-backpack excitement has worn off, routines are starting to settle in, and for many of our kids, this is when the real picture of how school is going starts to show.
Maybe it’s the meltdown the second they get in the car. Maybe it’s the quiet, completely wiped-out kid who used to be chatty after school. Or maybe it’s that nagging feeling that something in the IEP just isn’t happening the way it should.
Trust that feeling. Pay attention to the patterns. Ask the questions.
This week, we’re digging into what can start showing up after those first few weeks of school—and giving you practical tools to help you understand what you’re seeing, speak up when something feels off, and advocate for what your child needs.
Because you don’t have to figure it all out alone. 💜
WORTH THE READ
Three reads worth your coffee break this week:
KeyAide
If your child seems totally fine at school and then completely falls apart the second they walk through the door, this one's for you. It explains "restraint collapse" — why kids who mask and hold it together all day often unravel at home, with you, because home is where they finally feel safe enough to. There are real, practical ideas here for softening that transition, not just naming the problem.
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Handwriting solutions
A few weeks in is the perfect time to check in with the teacher — but knowing what to ask (and how to bring up a concern you haven't officially named yet) can be the hardest part. This piece gives you actual scripts, including gentle language for raising something for the first time without it feeling like a big, scary confrontation.
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Undivided
An IEP is only as good as what's actually happening in the classroom. This checklist helps you verify — accommodation by accommodation — whether what's written on paper is really being implemented, from font size to assistive tech to whether the 1:1 aide is actually there when they're supposed to be.
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You're Not Alone
Stay connected to helpful resources, upcoming events, and community news created to support you along the journey. Share The Autism Plug with someone who could use the connection.
THE PARENT PLUG: GOOD TO KNOW
You don't have to wait until the annual IEP meeting to speak up.
Read that again. If something feels off right now — a meltdown pattern, a service that isn't happening, a goal that no longer fits your child — you are allowed to request a meeting today. You do not have to sit with a concern for months just because the calendar says the next IEP meeting isn't until spring.
6 Steps to Request an IEP Meeting (Understood.org) This walks you through exactly how to do it — what to put in writing, who to send it to, and even includes a sample letter you can copy and make your own.
💬 Save this. Share it with another parent who needs to hear it too.
SAVE THIS: RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
Management of Life, Organization & Mentoring (M.O.M.)
M.O.M. was created to empower and support parents of neurodivergent children from birth through adulthood. The organization focuses on strengthening families through mental health support, wellness, inclusion, mentoring, and community connection.
A resource worth saving—and sharing with another parent who may need it. 💜
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOUTH FLORIDA
💛 You're doing better than you think you are.
Got a resource, event, or win you want to share with the community? The Autism Plug is built by and for families like yours.
