Holiday school break - there goes the routine

I am a couple hours away from the holiday school break. So there goes the kids' routine. I can get them up at the same time each morning and go through our morning routine but I can't replace their school activities. Like many ASD kids they like routine. They know what days they do what activities. A couple days off no problem. Two weeks off and we have melt down issues. We are staying home this holiday as we have already celebrated with family.

DS1 will want to watch one video after another. He gets more and more aggitated with each video but he loves videos. DS2 will want to be attached to my left hip. DS3 will follow whatever DS1 is doing or will be fighting with DS2 over toys.

I've got two play dates scheduled and will try for a third. DS1 hates play dates and doesn't like when new or different people are in our house. The other two will just ignore the children who come to play.

I plan on trying to go to a store daily. I am not looking forward to this as this requires winter boots, mittens, hats, heavy coats and possible snowpants (depending on how cold). DS1 HATES going outside to play. DH will be working so I have no one to help me look after the boys if we would go outside. All three are runners and will take off on me. DS1 knows how to get to the highway 1 mile from our house. Once he gets to the highway he takes a left and is running 5 miles to town.

So what do you have planned for the holiday break?

I know what you mean. My son with ASD is highly dependent on his routine. When he was on Thanksgiving break, he spent the weekdays telling me what time it was and what subject he was supposed to be doing ("It's 10:30 - time for math. It's 1:00, time for speech, etc.)

DS's school break started last Friday and he goes back the 3rd. DH and I both work FT, so DS has to go to all day daycare at the place where he goes to aftercare. I had to write it into his personal calendar for each day: "No school. Go to daycare." Even though it's a familiar environment, he is having a hard time adjusting to being there all day. He refuses to eat there (very unusual for him) and is very clingy with the staff. He's been stressed out in the evenings.

We are leaving tonight to go visit my family in MI. DS usually travels well and enjoyed seeing his grandparents. We're hoping for good sledding weather, since that is one of DS's favorite activities. We come back on Sunday and then it's another full week of daycare.

Good luck!

DS is half way into week 1 of his 2 week break. So far so good. I've kept the same morning routine this week b/c DD still goes to preschool all week. DS has been going to his before care program on Tues and Thurs this week also. During the other times we have run out to do errands (which requires a talk on the way of what is expected of DS and what he will and will not get etc....). This talk occurs for every single place we go. DS has also been watching at least 1 DVD a day and playing Wii. Today he ventured into the basement alone (all toys moved down there over the weekend) and brought up some stuff to play with. We will have one playdate scheduled for next week and DN will be spending the night over the weekend. Plus, my mother comes on Friday and will stay a week with us.

We had our first massive issue this evening at Borders. DS pushed DD. DD bit him. Both were screaming at the top of their lungs. I was that mom.

I'm sort of hoping for a whoping amount of snow on Sunday/Monday so that DS and DD will go out and play in the snow and wear themselves out (they both LOVE to play in the snow for hours).

Oh the joys of waking up to screaming and fighting kids. NOT!!! Don't know who started what but the youngest was screaming his head off and the other two were fussing up a storm.

DS1 has been up less than 20 mins and brought me the first DVD of the day. I was able to get him interested in his LeapFrog music table. Not sure how much longer as I need to get them breakfast and they get entertainment in the moring. I will try music.

I was really stressed last night over this holiday break. I know that they pick up on my emotions so I have to relax and stop worrying that it won't go well. I don't mind summer breaks. It's the winter ones where the snow is deep and it is harder to get out with them. In the summer we can go to the park. DS1 listens to an Ipod and I can keep him from running off. DS2 runs all over the play equipment and is so interested in sliding down the slide or climbing up the ladders that he doesn't think to run off. DS3 spends the entire time in a baby swing with me pushing him.

Well all three are know in the computer room poking at me...guess I'd better go feed them. At least I will get out of the house this afternoon for several hours for their therapy sessions. Thanks for understanding how difficult this is for me!

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't realize I posted on the special needs board. But I do struggle with what to do with my kids during break.

I'll probably take them to an indoor jumpy house type place, possibly go to children's museum. I have a couple of playdates lined up. We have family in town, so that will help. Get 'em dressed up, let them play outside in the snow. I might check local libraries and find out if there are any story hours/etc going on.

This is what we did last year: McD's indoor playland, to see a movie (our theaters have sensory friendly showings), a jumpy house place (I schedule it as a playdate with a couple of other moms and we split the cost), rent some movies from redbox, create an indoor obstacle course, and hit up Michael's for some crafts. HTH.

Five more days...just five more days. Today is rough. DS1 is really having issues with authority and wanting his needs met RIGHT GOSH DARN NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had to cancel the playdate. I knew it would not go well. Decided that I need to make a run to IKEA and will possible take him with me. I just need to find the Ipod so he has music to listen to. If he's got music he will follow me through any store.

I love my children so very much and it really hurts my soul when they are having a difficult time. At least tonight I've got my Vikings to watch! Yeah I know I'm a glutton for punishment! A fan is a fan and a Viking fan is a long, long suffering fan.

DS did pretty well during his full days at daycare these past two weeks, except for refusing to eat lunch there ( it's very unlike him to refuse food.). And he did well on the trip ti Michigan, aside from some mild crankiness.

He's home now until Monday. I have the flu and DH is on duty with the fire department the next few days. I'll be happy to see the yellow school bus come on Monday morning.