James Donaldson on Mental Health - Strategies for a Successful Summer Break

Maintain your schedule While you may never be able to duplicate the structure school provides, it helps to maintain the school year’s daily schedule, right down to meal times and bedtime , as much as possible.

It can be very tempting to let your kids stay up late and sleep in — especially on weekends, when you want to do the same — but in the long run, sticking to the same schedule pays off by keeping your child more comfortable, and hence more cooperative.

Make it visual Kids who thrive on predictability and are prone to panic over transitions — including those on the autism spectrum — benefit from posted schedules that outline what will happen throughout the day (i.e., 7am: Wake up, go to the bathroom, wash face… 8am: breakfast…) Depending on your child’s developmental level , simple pictures can also help.

Make plans Try to schedule as many activities as possible, as early as possible, and keep your kids posted.

This can mean anything from “we’re going to Aunt Mary’s Thursday at 5pm for dinner” to having a set routine that every day, weather permitting, you’ll be going to the playground or pool.

Even one such activity can give kids a center of gravity, so to speak, around which the rest of the day can be structured.

It can be tough finding play dates for kids who have difficulty socializing with peers, but some parents have found success through Meetup groups and other online sites.

There, you can get to know other like-minded, nonjudgmental parents who “get” your kids and won’t be offended if a play date has to be cut short.

Of course, if you are lucky enough to have family members who are great with your child, don’t be shy about taking them up on offers of help.

Get outdoors Home can become a safe cocoon, especially for children with sensory issues , who can feel assaulted by extra sights and sounds, or those who have trouble with social interactions.