By: Zipporah Levi-Shackleford, M.Ed., PBSF Creative Approach Development Center, LLC
I cannot believe the school year is almost over. In just a couple more weeks the kids will be on summer break. While this traditionally means more time to relax, enjoy each other’s company and make some new memories, it also means increased anxiety and confusion for children with special needs, especially those diagnosed with Autism. This is understandable since they did spend the last 9 months on a specific schedule that allowed them to know what to expect for the day. When school ends, many students with Autism have a hard time knowing what to do and what to expect which leads to anxiety and an increase in challenging behaviors. Luckily there are a few things you can do to not only help your child cope during this “time-out” phase but, also help them learn some new skills for the next school year.
Come up with a list of things to learn about and discover for the summer. When I say this I don’t mean pulling out the textbooks and worksheets but, rather working together to find some answers to top questions. Looking it up on Google or YouTube is a nice laid back way of finding your answers. I also like checking out my local library for some videos and books on the topics. Last summer my 10-year-old put on his list, “How is soap made” so we took some time one day to find out. We also learned about the world’s longest rollercoaster, the Gold Rush, and how to make homemade Play-Doh. The added bonus was also finding videos and directions that showed us how to make our own homemade versions.
Make a summer schedule. Routine is very important for our children on the Autism Spectrum and for those that struggle with organization. A simple solution is to make schedules for the day. Sit down with your children and decide which activities you will participate in during the day. Then put them in an order. Remember to explain the schedule is tentative for outdoor activities such as going swimming or bike riding because summer storms can happen at any time. To help with disappointments try having a couple of back-up plans to quickly take the place of the outdoor activity such as watching a movie, doing a puzzle together or playing a game. Letting your child write or decorate the schedule helps them feel more in control of the situation and makes the transition process a little easier.
Read more on Top 5 Ways to Make it Through Summer for Special Needs Families…