Holidays can be hard for children with autism and their parents. From large social gatherings to sensory overloads, routine changes, and unfamiliar expectations, there are a lot of hurdles that you have to overcome to enjoy the holiday season with your child. This can feel very overwhelming, but with the right strategies and support, the holidays can still be a fun and memorable experience for families supporting a loved one with autism.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we discussed some of the particular challenges that children with autism and their families have to contend with during the holiday season. If you haven’t read that post yet, you can check it out here.

In today’s post, we are going to offer up some tips, suggestions, and strategies that can help you and your child with autism enjoy the holiday. Keep reading to learn more, and contact ACES to inquire about how our Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatments can help those with autism lead happy and healthy lives!

Stick to Daily Routines

As any parent of a child with autism knows, establishing consistent daily routines is critical to your child’s success. Children with autism thrive in predictable environments, and they need a solid structure to feel and operate at their best.

This can be a big issue during the chaos of the holiday season, but it doesn’t have to be. Be sure to stick to as many of your child’s daily routines as possible, even if it means waking up a bit earlier to squeeze it all in. Going through their daily routine will help your child be as calm and relaxed as possible before the festivities begin.

Discuss the Plan With Your Child

Before you arrive at your first gathering, or before family and friends start arriving at your home, you should sit down with your child and walk them through what their day will look like. It can be helpful to use visual aides such as an invitation or a schedule of the day’s events. If there are certain traditions or activities that you and your child will be expected to participate in, clearly explain them and answer any questions they have in advance.

Don’t Commit to Multiple Events on the Same Day

The holidays are an incredibly busy time of the year, especially if you have a large family or circle of friends. There can be a lot of pressure to attend every party and gathering you are invited to, but that simply isn’t realistic if you have a child with autism that needs your care and support. Instead, choose one event each day and set clear parameters for when you will arrive, how long you will be there, and what time you will head out. Share this schedule with your child so they have a clear understanding of what their day will look like. If it’s appropriate for your child, write down or print out a schedule that they can refer to throughout the day.

Always Come Prepared

As we discussed in the first part of this series, the holidays can be a minefield for sensory overstimulation and emotional overload. In addition to all of the noise and chatter at busy social gatherings, bright lights, flashy decorations, and even strong smells and unfamiliar food can push a child on the spectrum beyond their threshold.

Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful tools that can help mitigate these factors, minimize the effects they have on your child, and make the day easier and more enjoyable for both of you. In addition to schedules and setting clear expectations in advance, noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, books, puzzles, fidgets, or an iPad or other electronic device can all be useful, so be sure not to leave your house without them during the holiday season. If these tools aren’t very helpful for your child, contact ACES to learn more about how our ABA therapy services can assist you.

Manage Your Emotions Carefully

This point is as important as any of the other ones in this post. It’s only natural to put all of the focus on your child during the holiday season, but it's equally important to be in command of your demeanor, emotional state, and the way you react to issues that arise during the festivities. Especially in unfamiliar situations, your child is going to look to you for clues on how things are going. It’s up to you to lead by example and set a good tone for your child.

Set Realistic Expectations

At the end of the day, you need to realize that you can’t control everything that will happen over the holidays or how it will affect your child. If you go into the holiday season expecting everything to go perfectly, you are going to wind up disappointed. What you can do is plan ahead, lean on your tools and resources, and put your best effort forward for you and your child. If you follow these steps, every holiday should get a little bit easier.

If you want to give your child the best chance of leading a happy and fulfilling life, autism therapy services can help. At ACES, we specialize in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and other proven autism treatments. Check out our locations to find the center closest to you, and contact us today to schedule a consultation!