At this time of the year, things are hectic for everyone, but for families dealing with autism it is especially trying. From too much sensory stimulation to too little routine, Christmas holidays can be a royal nightmare.
Each year, I promise myself the next will be better, but it doesn't usually work out that way. It has been a week since school let out for the Christmas break, and what a long, long week it has been. We have been to the E.R. twice in the last 12 days, last year we only went once, oh well... with autism you never know what to expect; you get what you get. Each year, we do less and less with family commitments. Now, we get together with relatives after Christmas and everyone understands. How often does this happen?
So, if you or if you have someone in your family has a child with autism, take a deep breath, regroup and laugh. Let's enjoy the moments together and not what is supposed to be expected of them or us.
Please share how you are spending your Christmas with us. How are you surviving the long Christmas break? How does your child do during this time? Our son enjoys the piano, so this is good. He loves swimming more, but he is banned from the water until his foot heals from the laceration requiring 14 stitches and two trips to the ER. Soon he will be able to get back to swimming and we will be off to the beach. Yeah! More stimming, splashing, and oh, all is well for us.
Hope you enjoy! Here are the annual Autism Christmas Carols. Merry Christmas, Everyone.
From Sarnet:
I'm Dreaming of a Quiet Christmas
(sung to the tune of "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas")
I'm dreaming of a quiet Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know,
Without ER dashes,
Mysterious rashes,
Or kids injured in the snow.
I'm dreaming of a quiet Christmas --
With every Christmas card I write,
"Our year has been quite a fright!
And I hope that Christmas will be quiet."
I'm dreaming of a quiet Christmas
Without a crisis to control.
Let there be no sirens
In our environs,
No crying children to console.
I'm dreaming of a quiet Christmas,
Oh, Santa, won't you hear my plea?
Make our day peaceful and stress-free --
That's the best gift you could bring me.
Echolalia Bells
(sung to the tune of "Jingle Bells")
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the time.
Sing it in the morning,
Sing it in bed,
Sing it at suppertime.
Oh, jingle bells, I hear those bells
Constantly, it seems,
Every waking moment now
And even in my dreams.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Endlessly, that thing!
Jingle bells, I've got to yell,
Is it all this child can sing?
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle jingle JING!
Oh what pain is in my brain
From this endless jingling!
There Goes Routine
(sung to the tune of "Here Comes Santa Claus")
There goes routine,
There goes comfort,
There goes therapy.
Here comes boredom,
Here comes whining,
There goes sanity!
School break's here
And I should cheer
The time to spend with my kids.
But though I bless
Togetherness
I feel like I'm losing my wits.
But here comes New Year's.
Here comes three cheers,
Here comes tears of joy.
Get the backpacks,
Meet the buses,
Goodbye, girls and boys!
Though it means
More homework scenes
And teacher battles and such.
Ending Christmas break
Can make me
Love that school so much!
We Won't Go
(sung to the tune of "Let It Snow")
Oh, your party sure sounds delightful,
But our child's behavior's frightful,
And since we'll just bring you woe,
We won't go, we won't go, we won't go.
Well, the tantrums he won't be stopping,
And we'll chase him 'til we're dropping,
He just can't stand the stress, and so
We won't go, we won't go, we won't go.
If we actually made it there,
After miles of yelling and gripes,
We would suffer your guests' cruel stares
And overhear all of their snipes.
Oh, they'd whisper that we're bad parents,
And our child is quite aberrant,
'Til our spirits were sunk, and so
We won't go, we won't go, we won't go.