Involved
How involved can your child be in holiday preparations and celebrations? It will vary so much depending on your child, their skills and their challenges. To give you some ideas, I’ll share ways we got Mikey involved…and ways we didn’t.
It would have been impossible for Mikey to go to a store and independently pick out a gift for his brother. So, on a trip to Target without Will, Mikey and I would go down the Lego aisle and I would pick up something I knew was on Will’s list. I’d say to Mikey, “Let’s get this for Will! You can wrap it for him.” That way, Will got a gift he actually wanted and Mikey got to be part of picking it out, but not in charge.
Mikey could wrap the gift, with help. He could write the card. “For Will From Michael.” He could stick on a bow. He could deliver the gift to Will on Christmas morning and sit with him while he opened it.
He could give high fives to friends at parties and hugs to his family. He could say “Merry Christmas” with his voice or his Ipad. He could open his gifts, and say “thank you.” He could help bake holiday treats and make ornaments to give to his teachers and visitors to our home. Those are a lot of wonderful ways to be involved in the celebrations of the holidays.
He Could Not
He could not fake excitement over a gift if he was uninterested. He couldn’t hang in large, loud groups crammed into small spaces. He couldn’t participate in gatherings independently; he needed help.
Strategy
Take into account strengths and challenges and make a game plan so your child can be as involved as possible. You’ve got this!
For ideas on ways to help your child ‘say’ thank you, click the link below.
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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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