Summer with Autism

*I personally cannot recommend using wine in any situation. As a Latter Day Saint, faith and prayer suffice.

Summer is in full swing now that the Fourth of July in our great nation of the United States of America has passed. The weather has even settled into a pattern of hot humid days followed by stormy showers here in the Midwest. It seems that nature has finally agreed that, yes it is indeed summer.

Summer with a child with autism, however, is anything but mellow and settled. Because of the lack of routine due to, obviously, the great break from school -- that the rest of us all enjoy-- kids with autism are left to grapple with a void that must feel very confusing.

Ben strives on habit; he loves making schedules and lists. We have found that this helps him focus on what comes next through the day, when each day brings something different. That way, meltdown are adverted – as much as possible—and Ben feels more in control of what comes next, without any surprises, or as few as possible.

After a whole month of living this way though, I am excited to add a measure of a routine back into Ben’s schedule. He will be starting ESY tomorrow. ESY stands for Extended School Year, which he qualifies for because he is at risk of losing the ground he has gained academically and socially during the school year. I am so grateful for this program which will undoubtedly bless him. He will take the bus at 8:30am and return at 1:00pm. It is undeniably a much shorter day than a regular school day, and he will not attend on Fridays either, but it is summer after all!

I know Ben will love it, as he has the past years he has attended. He loves riding the bus, seeing his friends from school and making art and crafts J He will also work on math and reading, but that, he isn’t so fond of!

With the mornings taken care of four days a week, it will not be as hard to fill in the blanks, activity-wise, as it has been the past month since school has let out. It is rather challenging to find interesting things for an eighteen year old young man with autism to do! The discrepancy between his chronological age and his developmental age is such that sometimes it is just easier to stay home where we all know and love him, and therefore will not judge how he acts, talks and generally conducts himself.

Yes, summers are a joy, a balm to one’s soul. I love how the sun warms all around and nature laughs in flowers and blooms of all kinds. But the challenge to all families of autism is the lack of continuity summer also breeds. So don’t be all too surprised if you hear an autism mom or dad say: “I can’t wait till school starts again!” J We LOVE summer and time off as much as the next person… It’s just that we love the balance routine affords our special kids more.