Holiday Frustration

When I was a teacher for the blind and multihandicapped I used to hate holidays that interrupted the school calendar. What it meant for me was everything that we had done in the class so far would be forgotten and we would have to start all over again. Granted the students would pick up on what we were doing in about 2 – 3 weeks, but the time wasted and the agony of doing it all over again wasn’t fun. The worse thing was getting the students back into the swing of things, in other words back into their school schedule. When the students would come back after a holiday we would have to start from scratch what we used to do in the classroom.

This Holiday Frustration phenomenon also happens in the home. Trying to get special needs kids back into getting ready for school, making their lunches, doing their homework, etc. can be quite overwhelming. A few days before school starts, bring out their old visual schedule on their morning breakdown and go over it with them.

Example: (This is my son’s old visual schedule.) Make a picture and/or written schedule (which ever works best for your child.)


Morning Breakdown
1. Wake up at 6:00
2. Go to the bathroom.
3. Wash face.
4. Make bed.
5. Eat breakfast.
6. Brush teeth.
7. Take off pajamas.
8. Hang up pajamas.
9. Get dressed.
10. Bring down book bag and coat.
11. Pack lunch and put in book bag.
11. Put on shoes.
12. Put on coat.
13. Leave house at 7:20
14. Go to bus stop.


You might also want to practice their schedule a week before school starts by having them wake up the normal time they get ready for school and follow through with their schedule. This will ease the transition into going back to school and makes it easier for everyone in the long run.