Already Broken
There is an idea in stoic philosophy that helps reinforce the impermanence of objects. The concept is to think of things as already broken. You enjoy the items with the knowledge that one day they will be broken. Then, when the inevitable happens, and the item is broken, you have already mentally let go of it.
Easier Said Than Done
Of course, we all have items with strong emotional meaning. I’d suggest keeping those things up and out of reach of the kids. When it came to Christmas ornaments, I did the breakable ones when they were busy doing other things. I used a ladder and put those on at the top of the tree. Then, I put the ladder away for the season.
Still
Even when we try our best, we know our life with special kiddos often means more things getting broken, more messes, more mistakes. If we can mentally prepare as much as possible, we may be better able to handle these set-backs with grace. Fingers crossed.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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