Presidents’ Day
On this day off from school, I thought I might share how we handle schedule changes in our house. This one small thing has made a HUGE difference for Michael.
On school days, I write “school day” on our monthly calendar and on days off, I write, “no school.” Each day, Michael can look and see if he is expected to get on the bus or if he can turn on the TV and hang out at home. If your child is not a reader, you could use a symbol for school and one for home. For example, if you don’t use a calendar with your child, you could have a school day placemat (a laminated piece of construction paper with school pictures) and a day off placemat (a laminated piece of construction paper with pictures of home activities).
Whatever way you choose to do it, consider providing a visual cue to let your child know the schedule for the day ahead. This will give them a sense of predictability which can help lead to a calmer mind.
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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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