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Think of all those activities that occur in preparation, during and after any. Here are some examples:

Clean the house;
Get special decorations out;
Shop for new clothes or a costume;
Take photos;
Make special gifts;
Shop for gifts for people;
Buy a Christmas tree;
Bring the tree into the house;
Decorate a Christmas tree;
Buy or make holiday cards;
Exchange gifts with different people;
School vacation starts;
Go to a party;
Go to church;
Go to a play or program;
Plan a holiday dinner;
Shop for food;
Cook a special meal;
People come to visit;
Go to visit other people;
A special TV show;
Special activities to celebrate the holiday;
Take the decorations DOWN;
Store the decorations for next year;
Write thank you notes; and,
Return to school.

This is a short list. There are really more activities that occur as a part of
celebrating any holiday. Remember how confusing all this can be from the
child¹s point of view.

Giving children lots of information can help. Try these:

Mark special days on a calendar.
Some of the greatest confusions for children are the schedule changes that occur with holidays.

Those who thrive on established routines will find them changed. Not just on the specific day of the holiday, but in the days and weeks surrounding the special day.

Lots of people think of marking the holiday on the calendar. That is good. But that is not enough. Use that calendar to give children lots more information.

Mark which days they will be going to the store or the post office. Tell them when they will be doing one of those special activities to prepare for or clean up from the special celebration.

Put those most notable events on the calendar. Telling a child which day
the Christmas tree will come down may be one of the most significant pieces of information you can share.

Use checklists. I love checklists. They help me organize my own life. Kids love them too. It gives them more information. Checking things off makes everyone feel good.

Major events can be listed on the calendar. Put the details on a checklist. Make lists for everything the child will have interest in:
Who you will buy presents for;
Shopping lists for groceries or gifts;
Which stores you go to on a specific shopping day;
Who is coming to dinner or the party;
The menu for lunch or dinner;
The snacks during the football game;
Shopping lists for groceries or gifts; and,
Who we will mail cards to.
There are endless opportunities to write checklists.

Write little conversation stories. One
common complaint about special days is that children who speak perseverate
and talk about the holiday by saying the same thing over and over.

It seems the child may really be trying to have a conversation about the topic. The problem is, he doesn¹t know more things to say. Writing little stories can help. When a student gets stuck on a topic, write a little story. It doesn't have to be long. In fact, short may be better. But write the things the child would say if he had better conversation skills. Try to expand what he is saying and give more information.

For example: If the child is perseverating by saying Grandma and Grampa are coming, write a little story.

Grandma and Grandpa are coming on Tuesday.
They will bring a suitcase.
They will sleep at our house.
They will eat turkey dinner with us.
They will go home on Saturday.

Make sure to write your stories at a language level that matches the
child. Use some pictures or photos to illustrate.

The most important part is to save this little story. Putting it in a 3-ring binder is great. Write more little stories when topics arise or when your child needs some information.

Go back to re-read these stories over and over during that holiday preparation. They will generate lots of conversation.

Just a few more tips:
The important part about using these calendars, checklists, and stories, is
having the child participate whenever possible. The way they participate needs to match their skill level. Here are three more considerations:
1. Use what the child understands.
2. Create these tools with a combination of photos, pictures and simple written
language. Avoid the temptation to make things too advanced or too complicated. These tools should be quick and easy and simple to understand.
3. Have children help create the tools
Students with reading and writing skills may help you create these tools by writing or typing the information. Even children who cannot read can benefit. Have them help put an item on a calendar or point to a photo that gives information.

Review Review Review!

Creating these tools is not enough. It is important to use them regularly to talk about what is happening.

Look together at the tools you have made. Look at them over and over. Some children need to look every day. Others may need to review multiple times during a day. Just remember that the process of rehearsing the information will help children understand.

And be sure to keep these tools after the holiday. They are useful to help
remember what happened when the holiday is over.

Create Happy Holidays!
Use the holiday season to teach time concepts and communication skills.
This can help families avoid some of those frustrations that occur so easily
during times of celebration. A few visual tools will help turn those celebrations into HAPPY Holidays!

Please plan ahead for respite and support for holiday vacation weeks coming up in December. Call your respite providers now to make necessary arrangements. It is NOT too early!