Vanessa's Blog: It's nearly Christmas

It is getting to that time of year when classrooms are getting glittery and the song 'Little Donkey' gets stuck in my head! It feels as though Christmas has been in the shops for months already and many of you, school staff and families alike, will be planning for the month ahead. Christmas is supposed to be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, but for a lot of young people with autism it can be stressful, uncomfortable or so over-exciting that it is overwhelming. Especially considering that a lot of families and schools did not have a very 'normal' Christmas last year, so lots of young people will not remember what to expect.

The key thing to remember is that children with autism have a wonderful capacity to cope with all sorts of things, if they have enough information to understand what to expect and if we can make sure that they have options to get some space when things get too much.

We also have to reflect on why we do the things we do at this time of year; who is this fun for? Sometimes we all put too much pressure on ourselves to uphold traditions or have a Christmas that looks like the perfect image on social media. No two children with autism are the same, much as no two classes or no two families are the same. Christmas can come in all shapes and sizes and flavours, so take the pressure off and do the things that suit you and your child.

Here are our top tips, for a successful Christmas, both at home and at school along with some resources to help you get ready.

Top tips for Christmas at home