I was wondering how you all handle the holidays with your child on the #Autism spectrum? Right now, in the US, we are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving.
I’m not entirely sure how tomorrow is going to go. I know that my boys are already on overload and probably don’t need anymore stimulus.
However, being with family will be a pleasant distraction for them and us.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do about the environment because we have no control over that.
Having said that, in my family, if they say we are eating at 2pm, plan to eat around 4pm instead. In order to limit the anxiety and stress from anticipation, we arrive fashionably late.
We will bring something to occupy the boys if they need to get away.
Often times, I will sit in a quiet room with one or both of the youngest as they are very easily overwhelmed.
Christmas is a whole other story for another post.
Anyways, I thought we could share some experience with managing the the holidays with an #Autistic child. Do you have any tips or tricks?
E from the third glance has 2 blog posts written about surviving the holidays…
http://thethirdglance.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/an-autistics-holiday-survival-guide-2012-edition-parts-1-3/
http://thethirdglance.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/an-autistics-holiday-survival-guide-part-4-food-and-the-family-dinner/
ok ,we have 2 on the spectrum ,one can handle sitting down and eating with others ,one can not ,we feed the one that cannot first, and just don’t care that he comes in and out and we know he has been fed so ,whats the big deal, now christmas morning, My husband and I are only kids,so both grandparents come here,first breakfest of monkeybread,, OJ,little quiches,etc ,then we open presents,one can sit and wait and deal with it all ,one can not,in the past ,Matt would not open presents wrapped in paper,so everything for him was in gift bags,now he opens like a champ! But not all at once ,he opens ,he leaves,he comes again and he opens again,they are his gifts,if it takes all day what does it hurt,we want for him to happy on Christmas,and he is ,the important thing is ,are they happy,will they have good memories of this day?People have learned to let Matt come to them,not to grab or demand kisses,mind you ,when Matt loves you ,he might just kiss or sit next too,(or almost on!)by the way,Matt is 21 and 6.3 and 210 and a gentle giant . Best Advice,look to them,are they happy?are they calm,are they being overwhelmed ?Try to honor that,it isn’t about what others think ,it is about all of you,this is your family,you know what is best, Happy Thanksgiving to all of us,and Merry Christmas ! Love and wishes ,The Cranes
We tend to stay close to home. We have been invited to another relative’s house this year, but if we go it won’t be until later in the afternoon, and our family always gets together for a family gather the weekend after (sometimes before). They are generally really great around the boys, but we tend to split up when we have to handle the guys getting overwhelmed.