It might feel as though the children are at home on school holidays more than they are in the classroom at times. While it’s great for them to have time out to unwind and spend moments at home with family, for neurodiverse children with ADHD, autism or any other another neuro condition, the breaks away from school and the routine it offers can be challenging.
As well as running my own private practise, I also work as a Clinical Psychologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. Between both settings, I meet children with various mental health issues including depression, anxiety, PTSD, EUPD and trauma. I also have experience in neuropsychological assessment and treatment for conditions like epilepsy, ASD and ADHD. I know from seeing these children first hand that good mental health is so important for them and a vital cog in the system, crucial for keeping everything functioning properly.
Children’s mental health lays the all-important foundations for their overall wellbeing and development. Positive mental health in childhood foster greater emotional resilience, gives them greater coping mechanisms and aids the ability to form positive relationships with children and adults. To foster this, it is crucial that we create a space for all neurodiverse children where they feel safe to express their feelings and emotions. For many children their safest space is at home with people that know them well. For some children school offers a safe space. It’s a place they know well and are familiar with, placed with people they feel secure with. So when the holidays come around, some children struggle with the lack of routine and stability that going to school offers.
This is particularly pertinent for neurodiverse children who may require a more tailored, structured approach than neurotypical children. We must recognise and work with their unique challenges and foster their strengths through appropriate resources and techniques.
When planning the school holidays, take time to put together a structure and routine that allows your child to maintain their mental wellbeing, in a safe and nurturing environment.
Top Tips – Here I share some advice that I share with the parents of my patients:
- Create a structured and balanced routine – it doesn’t have to be as rigid as during term time. But sticking with activities like getting dressed, brushing your teeth and having breakfast at the same time will keep your child.
- Consider your child’s specific interests and sensory needs – plan activities that appease these preferences and that you know they will ensure. It can be fun to try something new, but make sure you explain this to your child beforehand and talk it through in detail. New situations can be scary.
- Spend time with friends and family that your child feels comfortable with. This might include children that they go to school with and are familiar to them. Keeping your child comfortable is hugely important and prevents unnecessary anxiety.
- Engage in open communication to give neurodiverse children the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings throughout the day. This might be as you take a walk or when you sit down together for a snack.
- Include leisure and learning activities – learning in the classroom can be intense and by the time the school holidays come around, many children need to take a break from this level of learning to digest what they have done so far. We can still have learning activities, but try to do this in a fun, less obvious way. Leisure activities are important too. Its important that everyone is having fun and getting some time to recharge.
- Promote physical activity – this is an excellent mood buster for everyone. Head out for a walk, play football in the garden, engage in a game of tag. Getting the heart rate up encourages those all important endorphins and boosts our moods.
- Get outdoors and embrace outside activities. Spend time in nature and engage in mindful practices such as meditation or deep breathing – these can help reduce stress and improve mood.
- Get creative and include things like art and music activities – anything that allows the child to express themselves through play. They could perform a show for you, you could make up a song together. Creative play has huge benefits for mental health.
- Balance screen time with physical activity – there is no escaping screen time in today’s world, but limit this where you can and ensure a good balance of other activities too. It’s important that children are provided with the space to engage in imaginative play to spark their creativity.
- Maintain regular sleep schedules – this is crucial and keeps your established routine going. Sleep allows the brain to rest and re-energise ready for the next day and is essential for mental health and wellbeing in everyone.
- Eat healthily – gut health is extremely important. Try to follow the same rules that you have during term time. A healthy breakfast will set you up for the day ahead. A mid-morning snack could be the same as they have at school, a piece of fruit with some milk. Try to keep lunch and dinner to the same times too to maintain structure.
- Ensure sufficient rest play – a full on day of non stop running around and playing is great, but its also important to schedule some downtime too. Perhaps you could sit together and watch an episode of their favourite TV programme. You could put some time aside to create a den and read books together. Its important to have some downtime too.
- As the carer, set realistic expectations and remain flexible to help reduce your own stress. If something isn’t going to plan, don’t force it. Just try something else. Don’t set your expectations too high. It’s important to listen to the rhythm of your child and let them set the pace.
- Ensure you schedule time for yourself too and ask for help when you need it. Your own wellbeing can have a huge influence on your child’s health so take some time out during the day. Even its just 10 minutes to have a cup of tea in silence. This helps you mentally prepare and deal with the day.
The school holidays can be hard to navigate but take time to schedule activities, a careful blend of being at home, seeing friends and family and days out having fun. Think about what your child most enjoys, where they feel most comfortable and most importantly, enjoy this quality time together.
Learn more about Dr Sona Kaur’s experience here.
