Many parents can be nervous about summer.
Children are at home everyday and these months can put even the most organized parents into a frenzy. What do you do all day? How do you make sure they stay busy?
But now, how do you stay busy when you’re not allowed to leave your home?
Being Locked Up and Explaining the Situation
Fortunately, there have always been plenty of summer activities to keep kids busy and keep parents sane. Summer camps, sporting events, concerts, play-dates, day camps, vacations, local events, parades, fairs, and more offer lots of options.
But now? Try finding something that isn’t canceled.
Being stuck inside on a rainy day with a child isn’t bad, but the government has issued a stay-at-home order which means even the brightest and sunniest of days now have rain.
When it comes to explanation, that’s going to vary from child to child. Your child may love following current events and already has an understanding of what’s going on.
If your child is a visual learner and on the younger side, the YouTube channel Peekaboo Kidz has a few videos explaining the virus, social distancing, safety measures, and more.
Social Distancing
No one knows your child better than you do, and you may have noticed that your child with autism or other exceptionalities has always needed a little space.
Their “space” may be purely social, giving them a bit of a breather before engaging with them or reading cues about their day. You might even be able to tell their mood by how they’re walking around the house.
That “space” may be physical as well, such as a corner in the garage to tinker with tools (safely, of course) or a playroom to enjoy their toys.
And that’s just social distancing during the week.
With everyone crammed together, how do you go about maintaining that at home?
Make sure to give your child their space when you see fit during the day. While having a routine may be difficult, try to give them that space or time alone when you normally would.
Stick to a Routine
It can be difficult to remember what day it is (raise your hand if you’ve confused a Tuesday with a Saturday in the last few weeks), it’s important to stick to a routine.
Keep the alarm clock the same, keep meals at the same time, and have afternoon activities planned. That also goes for the more enjoyable days. Order pizza on Friday night and have goof-off time on Saturday.
Keeping structure and routine is a great way to ensure your child knows what’s going on and what to expect.
Coming Up with Activities
Remote learning only lasts for so long and while letting them play Xbox all day would be easy, it’s not exactly a beneficial way to spend the day.
We came up with a list of things to do inside that involve minimal items but you may blaze through those or your child just may not like them. There is no perfect blueprint for every child out there!
Now is the perfect time to engage in one of your child’s interests or one of those “I might be interested in…” things.
Have they ever wanted to start a YouTube channel? Learn how a car works? Build a Rube Goldberg machine? Whatever it is, you’ve got time for it now!
Dealing With Behavior
Having structure and routine is going to help with behavior and attitudes. With a consistent structure, you can maintain a (somewhat) consistent attitude.
It’s also important to maintain contact with your child’s therapist during this time. Many therapists are setting up remote or virtual meetings with patients and while nothing can be the same as a personal meeting, having regular meetings with the therapist could help.
Make sure and stay in contact with friends and family as well! Make use of FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom during these times.
At the end of the day, these are tough times for everyone. Over 60% of the world’s population is under some kind of quarantine and we’re all hoping to return to normal life as soon as possible.