We are three days into Summer vacation and I realize it is going to be a very loooong Summer for Xavier.
For years, When other parents couldn't wait for a break in school so they wouldn't have to rise at the crack of dawn each day, I would dread any type of break from school basically because Xavier would be miserable and in the process make us all miserable as well.
This not only made me dread Summer vacation but also Spring Break, Thanksgiving and Christmas Break!!!
Change is hard for anyone, but for a child with Autism it is nearly unbearable.
In previous years Xavier will ask for school each day of the week aaaallll daaaaay....
Even when I would try to explain to him that it was "break" he would not understand and still whine all day long.
Usually by the time I got him adjusted to "no school today" it was time to go back to school and he would get upset once there and having to deal with " another change" again ...
It was and still is to some extent a bad cycle for him.
After we moved to Georgia and I could not work due to lack of childcare, Most times when he and Jordan were younger and I would spend the Summers " keeping them busy" on the cheap.. Blow up pools or when we moved into a HOA community I would plan on taking them to the pool when it was not so crowded and noisy around sundown and allow he and Jordan swim time each day. Many times Jordan would also go with friends and then again with Xavier and I.
Since Xavier would still awaken at his normal " school time" I had to keep him on a schedule as I realized that even if the schedule was different, just "knowing" what was next or that there would be something to do kept him calmer to some extent.
I found that if I set a routine of "keeping Xavier busy" to wear him out, I could have some peace during the day. That's when I realized I was being "worn out" too!
As I started working more, this time " to wear him out " became more limited.
There is only one Summer Camp for Children with Autism in my area and it is 300.00 per week.
So since it was way cheaper, I would send Jordan to camps at least three weeks out of the Summer and that way I would only have Xavier to run ragged each day.The days they were both at home, I can have Jordan to at least distract Xavier some. One good thing about Georgia is that the heat will wear you down very quickly, so a 30 minute walk with Lucky in the park and then some play time would usually have them both tired for at least two hours. Lucky even longer! :-)
I have to say as he has gotten older and "lived through" more school breaks he has gotten somewhat better at " making entertainment for himself" . His transitions back to school after breaks have gotten better as well.
But still, on days like today when I hear the sound of him constantly saying.." School tomorrow" lets me know he hasn't quite figured out that Summer Break is here but he does know he is bored.
Lucky for him, I have a large packet of Summer Speech lessons his Speech Therapist sent home with him and many worksheets from previous Summers for him to complete.
For some reason having " school work "to do during the Summer months helps keep Xavier calm.
For Jordan the TOTAL opposite is true, he does his assigned Summer reading with MUCH prodding and doesn't want to SEE anything related to school during his break. He would rather veg out on TV and movies all Summer and I think this Summer I will allow him that time. I wont be making him read an extra book off his reading list this time..
Hey, whatever works!
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