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Holidays: The Reality.

Two words that can strike every emotion at you at once: school holidays.

For most school holidays are a time for families, friends and fun! For families with additional needs children, it can bring dread, upset and even fear.

  • The transition of change from school routine to holiday routine.
  • Praying the weather suits your meticulous plans, prepared weeks in advance to help them prepare.
  • Filling cupboards with incentives if you get out of the house, and food if you can’t.
    Having plan B’s, C’s and D’s if A goes wrong.
    Reminding friends that you want to join in, but the reality means you often can’t.
    Watching posts of holiday pictures, and wishing yourself there.
    The feelings of guilt/ joy because you “just” managed to avoid meltdowns today.
    Feeling happy that your child kept pants on all day, even if that was all!
    Savouring those sibling moments when they do get along.

This list can be endless.

School Holidays aren’t about being busy every day, cramming lots in or feeling guilty. They’re about finding what works for your family and knowing it’s ok to have more home days than our days.

Our holidays are calmer because we plan, as a rule we keep days out to the same days each week. We have a day out, then a day at home. This lets all of us regulate, enabling us to better manage, reducing meltdowns and shutdowns. I probably do more online grocery shopping during the holidays, than any other time of year.

But it works for us.

Don’t feel pressured when family/ friends insist it’s better to be out all day, it won’t “wear them out”, a days Masking is exhausting, we aren’t able to fully enjoy it- often feeling that we were “forced” to go.

If other family members don’t/ can’t/ won’t understand, all you can do is send them information. Save your energies. If they want to understand, they will look, they will try. We’re lucky, all of my family understand, or at least try to. It doesn’t make you a bad parent putting your child’s needs (and yours) first.

The other two dreaded words during holidays “School uniform“. We all have our go to places, to get what we know they’ll tolerate.

Fear knows nothing until you order clothes and the size you need is out of stock. ??

Advice I give for holidays.

Do what makes you and yours a good holiday. Whether it’s fast paced, every day out or every day in. Ignore comments, you know your kids.

We’re off to Wales again in a few weeks. Eldest son favourite place. This will be our 4th visit in five years. We’re off to a small cottage in rural mid Wales, and yes we have WiFi.

Never did I think WiFi would be on my holiday essentials list, but it’s ok. It’s how both regulate after a day out of peopling and masking. It’s ok.

And failing all else.

Remember these words.

We’re all FINE here!