BehavioralInnovations began as a group whose mission was to enrich the lives of individuals with autism and it has grown throughout the Southwest as one of the top centers for growth in the field of behavioral research, therapy, workplace initiatives and autism awareness. Their website features resources and tools for parents with items that focus on therapy, diagnosis and insurance as well as provider guides, a breakdown of their services and a blog. Their blog recently featured an article titled, "What Can Parents Do at Home with Their Child with Autism During Summer Vacation?" that highlight some ways that they can create opportunity for fun and enriching activities for their child as well as how they can prioritize self-care to ensure that this time off is still relaxing and beneficial for the entire family. The time off of school can be stressful for most parents in that children, neurodivergent or not, can be more wound up than usual and are likely to get a little stir crazy trying to beat the heat inside the house. Vacations and family visits are on the horizon and as parents, you may feel as if you never enjoyed the summer season at all. Having a few things in mind to keep your kids entertained and engaged provides you with a good routine as well as offers up some moments for connection as a family. First off, having a structured routine provides predictability and stability as well as reduce anxiety and, hopefully, improve behavior. One thing you can do is outdoor activities , like nature walks, going to the park, picnics, swimming, etc. Getting outside, especially during the summer, is great way to incorporate sensory stimulation and exploration for you and your children. Another option is sensory play which can be down by setting up bins filled with sand, water, rice, or beans for tactile exploration, thus improving sensory processing and integration. Bonus, it will keep your child entertained long enough for you to (possibly) get something done for yourself too! Arts and Crafts activities like painting, drawing, creating collages via cutting and gluing enhance creativity and fine motor skills. You could even combine two activities by taking a nature walk and collecting materials from the outdoors and then bringing them home to create a collage. Cooking together is a great way to teach your child practical life skills while create moments for sensory exploration as well as learning to follow instructions. The cooking or baking doesn't have to be too extensive just simple simple like cupcakes, cookies, or pasta would do the trick! Play dates with peers or siblings are great options for social skills practice that can improve skills like turn-taking, sharing and communication, thus overall improving social interactions. Visual schedules can help your child see and understand what they should expect for the day in terms of activities and transitions which will enhance communication and reduce anxiety. Within some of your daily activities, try to incorporate some educational games or puzzles that target specific skills like sorting, matching and/or counting to make learning through the summer months fun, engaging and interactive. Music and Movement encourages things like dancing, singing or playing instruments while also teaching self-expression and emotional regulation. Lastly, you can use this time to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, or mindfulness activities which help to reduce stress and encourage self-regulation. You can incorporate these techniques during some of the other activities and they may even make those moments a little more bearable for everyone by keeping the stress and anxiety levels down. Remember that amidst doing all these new activities, try to tailor them to your child's unique interests, preferences and their own personality and developmental level to ensure that both you, and they, are getting the most out of these experiences. Keep the positive reinforcement, encouragement and praise consistent to ensure that they feel accomplished in their efforts and accomplishments. Now, let's take a look at how you can take care of yourself as the parent. While your child is your top priority, it is still an overwhelming challenge to care for and nurture a child with autism, or any type of neurodivergence, so having a good support system as well as pockets of peace is crucial to make sure everyone is able to grow and live at their happy and healthiest. The first thing you want to make sure you have in your circle is emotional support because it can be extremely taxing to parent a child with special needs. You need to have family, friends, groups, etc. will give you the ability to share experiences, express your feelings and gain some empathy and understanding from others who you trust. Another thing that you will benefit from is information and resouces, especially on topics that are specific to autism, which includes therapies, treatment, educational strategies and community services. In looking for these resources, you may also be able to find support groups and online forums, which can be extremely helpful as well. Finding respite care can also be beneficial because it can be exhausting caring for a child with autism and oftentimes, there are not a ton of options for care that gives you, as a parent, a break. Respite care is a great option because it gives you a chance to recharge your batteries and breathe. It can come from family members, support services or professional caregivers; regardless of where it comes from, it is worth utilizing, especially in the summer months when going to school isn't an option. You are also going to schedule in some time for advocacy, which sounds silly to say, but parents of children with autism, or any special need, are often the only advocates for their child's educational, health and social needs. Utilize your newfound support networks to learn new skills when it comes to best advocating for your child as well as navigating systems and accessing services for the upcoming school year. Now is also a good time to budget time for additional education and training on some of the more specialized topics that are necessities in handling your role as a parent to a child with autism. Having a firm understanding of behavior management, communication strategies and sensory processing time, just to name a few, will not only greatly improve your life, but your child's as well. Throughout the summer season your hands will be pretty full in juggling how to keep your children entertained during the break and keeping up with your own set of tasks and duties within the house and at work, which in turn, may leave you feeling alone. Reduce isolation by connecting with other parents who understand and relate to your experiences to reduce any feelings of loneliness while also providing yourself with a sense of belonging. It is also crucial that you prioritize self-care to ensure that you can maintain your mental and physical well-being. The support networks that you are initiating or re-connecting with during this time will help to facilitate and encourage self-care activities, like exercise, relaxation and hobbies. Whether your support comes in the form of support groups, online communities or informal networks, finding it and accessing are key to your own well-being and your overall ability to best care for your child and the rest of your family. Speaking of self-care, let's take a closer look at what you can more specifically to prioritize your self-care while your children are at home this summer. Routines have changed and additional stressors may have affected your regular day-to-day game plans. The first thing you can do is take breaks throughout the day to recharge your batteries. Doing this will greatly reduce stress and prevent burnout. It will beneficial for you to schedule time for outdoor activities for yourself as well. Try exercising outside (if you can beat the heat), gardening or just sitting outside in the sunshine and reading a book or meditating. Activities such as these will have positive effects on your mood and overall well-being just from the fresh air and natural sunlight. While we're on the topic of exercise (I know...not everyone's favorite), doing something as simple as yoga, going for a jog, or playing a recreational sport can boost your energy levels and relieve pent-up stress in your body. Mindfullness and relaxation are also important because they promote relaxation and reduce anxiety. Mindfulness techniques like breathing, meditation and/or progressive muscle relaxation are tried and true methods for re-centering and calming your mind and body. Remind yourself to also stay connected with support like friends, family, or other parents of children with autism for emotional support and understanding when it comes to the battles you are facing on the daily. You may even want to look into joining some online communities or support groups where you can share your experience and receive encouragement and love. Take the time to pamper yourself by scheduling in time to do activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Treat yourself to a massage, taking a long bath, or indulging in a hobby that you enjoy (and you likely never give yourself time for). While you are relaxing and pampering yourself, take some time to search around for respite care & take advantage of the extra time it provides while also gaining a break from some caregiving responsibilities. Once you have found that, go back to that leisure activity, kick your feet and breathe. Which brings us to the next thing you need to "do": prioritize sleep, have a consistent bedtime routine and create a comfortable sleep environment. Getting good quality sleep will not only make you feel better all over, but it will keep you sane and functioning at your highest level in the crazy stressful life that you lead. It is also important that you set realistic expectations about what you can accomplish in a day, week, month, or year. Prioritize the tasks that are most important at the time in order to avoid putting any unnecessary pressure on yourself to do everything perfectly. Lastly, try your best to stay organized, which ensures that you can better manage your daily tasks and manage your stress levels. Calendars, to-do lists, meal plans, virtual notes, and shared grocery lists are all easy ways to achieve the level of organization needed to improve your overall quality of life and ensure that you have more time for those precious self-care moments. As the summer continues to fly by, remember to take time to focus on you and prioritize your pockets of peace; it's not selfish and it makes you a better you. Being the best you can only make you a better parent, spouse, friend, and supporter for someone else who may need you one day as they experience similar challenges.
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