It’s daunting to think about packing your children up and taking them out the familiar environment of your home. Don’t be too daunted by it! You can facilitate success with prior planning. Let’s look at how to influence two holiday activities and turn them towards success:
When visiting another home for a full day or overnight stay, bring a pack of familiar items for your child. Include quiet time activities such as coloring or a DVD player with relaxing movies. Although food may be provided by your host, bring along some familiar snacks, particularly if they are crunchy or require strong chewing like licorice or beef jerky. A visual timer www.TimeTimer.com will visually depict how much time is left until an activity ends, dinner begins or bedtime. The visual timer helps alleviate negotiation while in someone else’s home and minimizes opportunities for meltdowns. If a child has difficulty playing with others, try to build in some “heavy work” choices that will fit into the setting. This may include moving chairs to/from a table, carrying trash to a trash can or moving heavy items in the yard. Movement breaks are essential (even during dinner) and may include running in the yard, time at a local playground or playing outside in the snow.
If an overnight stay is part of the plan, make sure your child has a familiar pillow, doll or animal to sleep with and a comfortable slumber sack or sleeping bag. The slumber sack/sleeping bag will eliminate dealing with the textures of unfamiliar sheets and blankets and can add an element of fun to the experience. Try to stay as close to the child’s regular bedtime routine as possible.
The New Year is nearly here!
Best Wishes to all of you in this holiday. Good luck in your cooking, eating and travelling.
Lucy