Jessy McCulloch, Events & Social Media Marketing Coordinator, AHSS
It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is already here next week! And as we know, holidays can be tricky for those we love with autism. Add a dash of routine disruption and stir in a pinch of general family noise and you potentially have a recipe for real struggle. But with planning and preparation and these holiday tips, your plans don’t have to be stressful!
Autism Speaks has this wonderful blog post with tips to help you and your child enjoy this and every holiday year after year! From their post:
Before a Holiday Event
- Draw pictures about the holiday to help your child prepare for the events. SIDENOTE: (This Teaching Story on Thanksgiving is a great example of something you can use with your kiddo!)
- Prepare an activity for your child, if you know they have an aversion to a holiday tradition, like watching football on Thanksgiving Day. Your child may not like loud noises, so take your child outside to play or have the children play games in another room.
Day-of Holiday Events
- Schedule an early dinner or eat in advance to a family get-together.
- Reward your child throughout the event and reinforce positive behaviors.
Read the full article here for more holiday tips!
Source: autismspeaks.org
