Groundhog Day
Although I love the fun of the Groundhog Day coverage – and waiting to see if the Groundhog will predict an early spring or six more weeks of winter, this holiday always makes me think of the movie with Bill Murray.
His character lives the same day of his life repeatedly. As a mom, I can relate to this feeling! Same dishes, same laundry and sometimes even the same shows I have been watching with my kids for over twenty years! Michael still watches some Baby Einstein movies that Will watched as an infant – 22 years ago!!
Our kids thrive on routine, but sometimes the routine becomes a hurdle parents must overcome.
Tricks For Variety
When your child is watching their favorite show for the hundredth time, can you put on headphones and listen to a podcast? You can stay in the room to keep them safe, but you don’t really need to watch Thomas the Tank Engine AGAIN. Your child may want to eat the same thing for dinner every night, but can you give yourself some variety to keep things interesting? Once Mikey is tucked in for the night, I usually take a little time to hang out with Dave and Will and then I go up to bed and read. For me, this keeps my brain active and makes me feel like I have time (even if it’s only ten minutes or so) for my own interests. A little bit of ‘me time’ goes a long way.
Independence
The best antidote for the Groundhog Day feeling is helping your child become as independent as possible. Mikey’s shower time is before bed every night. Now, that’s a time that belongs to me since Mikey can shower on his own. He gets to do his shower the same way every night and I don’t have to be with him for every step…it’s positive for both of us.
Mikey can have his routines and I can have some freedom from Groundhog Day.
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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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