Back-to-School Nerves: Why Moms of Neurodivergent Teens Are Already Exhausted (and What to Do About It)

Back-to-School Nerves:

Why Moms of Neurodivergent Teens Are Already Exhausted (and What to Do About It)

If your chest tightens every time you hear someone say “Are you ready for back to school?” Well, you are not alone.

For many moms raising high-masking autistic, ADHD, or emotionally sensitive teens, this time of year doesn’t bring relief. It brings dread.

You’re not overreacting. You’re bracing for another round of invisible labor, walking on eggshells, and watching your child struggle in a system that doesn’t always see their brilliance.

Here’s what your nervous system already knows:

• The school meetings where you’re the only one fighting for accommodations

• The after-school shutdowns masked as “it was fine”

• The panic over deadlines, forgotten assignments, and avoidance

• The heartbreak of watching your teen burn out, withdraw, or spiral and not knowing how to help

  
  

You love your child fiercely.But even that love can’t override the fact that you’re exhausted from doing this alone.

And the more you try to prepare, the more overwhelmed you feel.

You’re not failing. You’re looping.

Here’s what I want you to know (and what I’ve been sharing in my recent videos and podcast):

🧠 90% or more of your parenting reactions come from subconscious wiring.If you’re snapping, freezing, or controlling—it’s not because you’re bad at this. It’s because you’re wired to protect. And you can rewire.

🌀 Control feels safe, but it blocks connection. It"s okay to want certainty. But sometimes, surrender is the most loving thing we can do—for our child and ourselves.

🪨 Your regulation teaches more than your words ever could. You don’t have to say the perfect thing. You just have to breathe, slow down, and anchor.

A Tiny Reset You Can Use Every Day:

Before the bus comes.Before the homework battle starts.Before you open that school email…

🌿 Try this:

1. Inhale through your nose (4 sec)

2. Hold at the top (2 sec)

3. Exhale slowly through your mouth (8 sec)

4. Repeat 3 times

5. Ask yourself: What part of me is trying to stay safe right now?

This is your pause.Your pattern interrupt.Your power.

And if you’re craving deeper support...

I’ve built resources with moms like you in mind:

• The Let Go Method™ A 45-minute self-paced workshop that resets your nervous system and helps you release the pressure of parenting on autopilot

• The Autism Mom Method™ A 5-stage transformational path to help you stop surviving and start parenting with peace

• Or, if you’re not sure where to start, you can book a free clarity call here. No pressure. Just space.

You don’t need more to-do lists.

You need relief. You need reflection. You need real tools from someone who gets it.

And I promise you’re not behind. You’re just ready.

With love,

Tara Trievel, M.Ed.

Certified Autism Specialist | Parent Mentor/Founder of The Empowered Mom Method™www.2besocial.org