Enjoying the Holiday Season with Your Child with Autism

The holiday season can be a wonderful time of fun, family, togetherness, and joy. For our loved ones with autism, however, the changes in routine, unfamiliar guests, and new foods can be a source of a lot of stress. In this article, we will discuss some of the ways that you can help your child to enjoy this holiday season, by minimizing stress for you, your child, and your entire family.

Preparation is Key: Helping your child understand what to expect from the upcoming holiday can really minimize stress on the actual day. If your child responds well to visual schedules or calendars, use a special holiday calendar! Mark upcoming holiday events like family gatherings, travel days and concerts or plays. You can also consider creating or finding social stories for your holiday event, as these can be a wonderful way to prepare for a different or new experience. Be sure to schedule time to go over the story a few times in advance to get the most benefit. We have created a free social story to help your child prepare for the holidays! Check it out here.

Work Together: Getting your child involved in preparations can help them prepare and also create some ownership over the upcoming celebrations. Think about what your child’s ability level permits: can they help make some ornaments for the tree, or maybe a paper garland? Maybe they can help mix dough for family baking, or use cookie cutters to cut out fruit or cheese shapes. Perhaps they can help set the table, or greet guests at the door. Any way that your child can contribute will help them to create excitement for the day, rather than trepidation.

Take a Break: Understand that sometimes the best thing for your child, and for you, is for them to simply take a break. Planning ahead for a quiet, sensory -friendly space for your child, and supporting their need to disengage, can make a huge difference! Have a quiet space set aside for your child that they can access whenever the holiday cheer gets to be too much. If you’re not going to be at your own home, speak with your host in advance and ask them to help by arranging for a quiet room away from everyone where the lights can be turned down, soft music played, etc. for your child. And, again, make sure to show your child the space before they need it so they can familiarize themselves with it in advance.

Help Set Boundaries for Your Child: As the caregiver of a child with autism, you are all too familiar with the task of being your child’s advocate. This task doesn’t stop when it comes to visiting family and friends! Speaking to your guests in advance of any visits can help take a lot of stress out of the day. For example, if you know your child is easily overwhelmed by touch, let your guests know that you will not be expecting your child to hug family members. If loud sound is a problem for your child, and you notice that the music has been turned up too high, step in to turn it down a notch, or escort your child to a quiet area. Anything you can do to ease your child’s sensory struggles will lead to a happier, calmer day.

For this holiday season, prepare ahead, set realistic goals, and get your child involved in a way that is comfortable for them. All of these things can help you and your family enjoy a wonderful, joyous holiday season!