#Summertime daily schedule for kids series#

Shannon Des Roches Rosa, mother to 10-year-old Leo and co-editor of The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism, says that her son, who has autism, “is used to 1:1 supervision and engagement all day long, and I can’t possibly provide the kind of routine and stimulation he craves, no matter how many camps and grandparent visits his sisters get shuffled off to. Yelling or becoming physical only escalates things, while giving in teaches your child that if he screams loud enough, he’ll get what he wants. And be ready to hold your ground in as calm, firm, and consistent a manner as possible. Give yourself a break for not being able to magically avoid it. While Michael usually does well, Steve makes sure to keep a line of communication open with camp personnel so that any potential problem involving his son can be “straightened out before he gets kicked out.”Įven with the best-laid plans, you may see some regression and worsening behavior over vacation.

#Summertime daily schedule for kids series#

Today, Michael is busy throughout the summer at a series of camps for typically developing kids that keep him engaged with things like Lego Robotics and skateboarding. In short, “they couldn’t take the responsibility of having him there.”īut Steve found that camp can be great for Michael if it is more structured and geared toward his strengths and interests. “The camp told us that they couldn’t afford to have a staff member shadow him to make sure he stayed on task and with the group,” Steve continues. When the boy began to wander off, Steve recalls, “he got reprimanded by the counselors in such a way that it really set him off with a lot of oppositional/defiant behavior.” It shared a densely wooded site with other such camps, so it was very important from a safety standpoint that Michael stayed with his group. When Steve’s son Michael-the child with ODD-was 5, he started out at the day camp that many of his classmates at the neighborhood school attended. Work with your child’s strengths and interests Hiring a sitter for a few hours or asking family members to pitch can make a big difference. It’s important take care of yourself during the long summer break, too. Then you can take baby steps to make those fears less scary.Įven if you do everything you can to prepare for summer, it’s normal for kids to act out more over vacation. If your kid has anxiety, it’s good to figure out what’s triggering it. If day camp is an option, it can provide great structure and fun outdoor activities that keep kids from spending too much time in front of screens. Outdoor activities are important for kids. Meet-ups and other online groups are a great way of connecting your child with other kids and families who might make good matches for playdates. And ignoring as many minor “bad” behaviors as you can teaches kids that acting out won’t get them what they want. You can reward kids for good behaviors with stickers or a special outing. It’s good to pick a few “good” behaviors you want your child to work on. Then you can schedule other activities around that.

Planning activities ahead of time, like going to the playground or pool every day, gives kids structure they can depend on. Posting the day’s schedule helps kids move from one activity to another. Keeping to your child’s usual bedtimes and mealtimes is important. But following some basic rules can make summer easier to handle and more fun for everyone. So summer vacation is a challenge for these kids and their parents. Structure makes kids with anxiety, ADHD or autism feel safe and comfortable. That’s even more true for kids with emotional or developmental issues.