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Holidays

Grieving During the Holidays as a Special Needs Family

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Grieving During the Holidays as a Special Needs Family

posted on Raising the Extraordinary

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year. I love Christmas. Celebrating the birth of Jesus, the decorated trees, nativity scenes, cookies, seeing family, ringing in the new year with anticipation of what’s to come. It’s a very exciting time of the year filled with love and joy.

Well, most of the time anyway. As a special needs family, the holiday season can also bring feelings of grief as we are bombarded once again with the realization of just how different our family is. Don’t get me wrong. I love our family and everything about them. But even though my love for our family runs deep, it doesn’t mean there are not those moments where I feel the sting of their diagnoses all over again.

The holiday season is a time of reflection. Often, we find ourselves reflecting back on our Christmas celebrations as a child. We want to experience some of those same traditions with our own children. As a special needs family, we may or may not be able to participate in these traditions with our children.

Our children with special needs may not be able to participate in Christmas pageants. They might have sensory sensitivities that prevent them from wearing the pretty Christmas dress. Maybe their diet restricts them from enjoying Christmas cookies. We may not be able to take them sledding or skating. Sometimes, it may even be as extreme as not being able to attend family gatherings because of the sensory overload it can bring.

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Holidays with Special Needs Children

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Holidays with Special Needs Children

posted on Lori Lite’s Stress Free Kids 

Tips to enjoy the Holidays With Special Needs Children

Set Up a Safe Brain Break Space

Your child can enjoy downtime when they feel over-stimulated at your house or your relatives. Set up a brain break space and be sure that the other children and guests know that this space is off-limits. Empower your special needs child to recognize when they need to go to their brain break space. Practice, practice, practice ahead of time to know when the mood is escalating. Did I say practice? Empower children by packing a relaxation bag they can go to if they are feeling anxious. Bring earphones and their special relaxation music or stories. Playdough, stress ball, music, video game, even a camera can help children relax and give them a focus if they have social anxiety.

The Indigo Dreams Series gives you stories that incorporate actual relaxation techniques. The other kids may be jealous give them their own space to de-stress. You may start a new trend!

Get Ready

Social stories, books, and movies can be a big help in preparing your child emotionally for holidays. Comfortable clothing and small dose exposures to holiday sounds can help physically. Think ahead with an eye for anxiety causing issues. If wrapping paper too loud? Use easy open bags or just decorate with a bow. Are the electronic bears with bells at Grandma’s house going to cause sensory overload? Ask her to unplug them before you get there. Let friends and family know about triggers ahead of time. If your child doesn’t like to be hugged suggest a handshake or just a wave. Your friends, family, and special needs children will be glad you did.

Prepare Your Children For Gatherings

Eliminate unnecessary anxiety associated with getting together with family members you rarely see by looking through photos of relatives prior to your event. Play memory games matching names to faces. This will help your children feel more comfortable with people they may not have seen in a while. Aunt Mary won’t seem quite so scary when she bends down to greet your child.

Use Relaxation Techniques

Incorporate deep breathing or other coping strategies into your day. Let your children see you use techniques when you are feeling stressed. Encourage them to use relaxation techniques on a daily basis. Breathing, visualizing,and positive thinking are powerful tools.

Incorporate Positive Statements Into Your Dinner

This is empowering and reflective. Each person at the table can state an attribute of their own that they are thankful for. For example, “I am thankful that I am creative.” Feeling stressed? Try, “I am thankful that I am calm.” Your special needs child can prepare ahead with a drawing or sign language if they want to participate without speaking.

 

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Make the Holidays Manageable for Children with Special Needs

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Make the Holidays Manageable for Children with Special Needs

written by Krystyann Krywko, Ed. D, posted on San Diego Family

Holidays provide your family with a break from the ordinary, time spent with extended family and friends, and also a chance to reinforce traditions. However, jammed schedules and unpredictable routines, mixed with sights and sounds of the holidays, can add up to a season full of stress for children with special needs.

“Change in routine is the biggest difficulty we have during the holidays,” says Sharla Jordan, mother of six boys (four with special needs) and author of Autism: Understanding the Puzzle. “The unfamiliarity and excitement can lead to difficult moments, so we try to prepare our boys as best we can.”

Here are tips to help make your holiday season run a little smoother.

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26 Winter Dishes and Holiday Treats for Kids

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26 Winter Dishes and Holiday Treats for Kids

written by Cathy Jacobs, posted on The Spruce Eats

When kids have time off from school in the winter, they love the break—but then after a day or so, they often complain of boredom. This winter holiday season, why not keep the kids in your household busy by inviting them into the kitchen to help you cook up a batch of Christmas cookies, festive candies, or yummy comfort food? They’ll not only assist in making some kid-friendly winter recipes and fun treats, but they will also be able to eat and enjoy all of their hard work.

You’ll find everything from a hot dog potato puff casserole you can serve at a playdate to Rudolph’s nose cookies for Santa’s cookie plate. Many of these recipes are also great gift ideas for family, friends, and neighbors.

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25 Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in New Jersey for Kids

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25 Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in New Jersey for Kids

written by Laurie Rein, posted from Mommy Poppins

Looking for the best holiday activities and Christmas events in New Jersey? Read on for our top picks in the Garden State in 2023. 

Make your list—and check it twice—because we’ve got all the details you need for annual must-do holiday experiences and top Christmas events in New Jersey. These Christmas events and holiday activities in New Jersey are sure to get everyone in the seasonal spirit over the next few weeks.

Bookmark this page—we’ll update it with fun new happenings as we learn about them. You can also stay up to date with all the family-friendly fun in our Family Activity Calendar and find more Christmas events and holiday hoopla in our seasonal Holiday Guide for New Jersey Families, which includes the best Christmas train and Polar Express rides in New Jersey.

As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses and times. And keep in mind: Cool things to do with kids often book up quickly, so register or buy your tickets ASAP.

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