Celebrating New Year's Eve with an autistic child, or one with another neurodivergent condition like ADHD, OCD, Anxiety, and more, can cause your child to become overstimulated easily, due to the increased social expectations, potential sensory overload from festive environments, and disruptions to routine. It’s crucial to plan ahead and make sure your child feels involved.
First and foremost, discuss your New Year's plans in advance, including where you'll be, what activities are planned, and how they can manage potential challenges. Here are other tips and strategies to create a comfortable, supportive atmosphere that minimizes stress and allows them to enjoy the celebrations in their own way.
Communicate the Order of Events and What to Expect
Anticipation is a natural part of any countdown. To help your child navigate the sequence of events, use "first, then" language. For example, "First we eat dinner, then we can watch the ball drop." This clearly outlines the order of activities.
For three-step activities, you can add "last." However, if your child struggles with delays, limit it to two steps. Crucially, always start with the less preferred activity. This reinforces that completing the less enjoyable task leads to the desired outcome, making it more manageable for your child.
Talk to your child about what to expect on New Year's Eve, including loud noises (fireworks, music), crowds, and the countdown. Use visuals like pictures or videos to help them understand.
Address Concerns before the event and acknowledge their anxieties. Let them know it's okay to feel overwhelmed and that you'll be there to support them.
Give Your Child Options
Offering choices can be highly effective in preventing challenging behaviors from arising. Choices empower your child by giving them a sense of control and providing a clear channel for communicating their preferences.
Limit choices to just two options. For example:
“Would you like to watch in the living room or listen from your room?”
“Would you like to celebrate with apple juice or orange juice?”
“Would you like to wear your blue shirt or green shirt?”
These basic questions help simplify the decision-making process for your child, making it easier for them to participate and express their preferences.
Provide Support
Provide your child with noise-canceling headphones or earplugs. If possible, choose a less crowded location or stay indoors. Consider dimming the lights or using soft lighting to reduce visual stimulation. Have calming sensory items available, such as weighted blankets, fidget toys, or soft textures. Allow your child to take breaks in a quiet, calm space if they become overwhelmed.
You can also plan fun, family-focused celebrations. Some ideas include:
Noon Year's Eve: Celebrate at noon instead of midnight with a smaller, quieter celebration.
Family-Only Celebration: Have a low-key celebration at home with just family.
Focus on Fun Activities: Plan activities your child enjoys, such as games, crafts, or watching a movie.
Celebrate Routines
Include a favorite snack or two among the offered options, served in their usual manner. This provides a familiar comfort within the new experience and can prevent them from feeling overwhelmed by unfamiliar foods or presentations.
Maintain as much of their routine as possible, even if you're allowing them to stay up later. Brush teeth, put on pajamas, and follow their usual bedtime routine at the usual time. This prevents the bedtime routine from being significantly delayed.
If possible, celebrate in an area your child doesn't frequent. This can make the new activity feel less disruptive to their routine and allow them an "escape route" to their familiar space if needed.
Set the Stage with Visuals
You can find old countdowns, as well as pre-filmed “ball drop” for this New Year’s Eve celebration, on YouTube, Netflix, and more. Even better, PBS makes a kid-focused version. These help your child understand what to expect, or can be a fun way for them to celebrate on their own time.
Use visual schedules, social stories, and picture cards to explain the day's events and transitions.
Then, develop a visual schedule of the evening's events to help your child understand what to expect and stick to their routine as much as you can.
Remember, you know your child best, and sometimes you have to try a few different things to find the one that works best. And celebrating a sensory-friendly New Year's eve is just as festive and more inclusive.
From all of us at THRIVE, we wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2025!
Comments