Tricks and Treats

 

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  Who doesn't love a good costume party, a bowl full of candy, and cute little ones ringing your doorbell?  Halloween started with a class party at the private preschool.  I had signed up to help with the party, and I knew from the previous year with Paige that the party involved transitioning from all four classrooms for separate activites (ex. face painting, bat craft, etc).  I had asked our ABA therapist to come and assist, as I knew it sounded difficult for Hunter.  My intuition was correct...he wouldn't dress in costume before school, but as soon as we arrived and he saw all of his friends, he started to cry that he wanted to be "The Incredibles," but then it was "The Hulk", and then it was "Spiderman"...he wanted all the costumes that the other children were wearing.  I did have his Buzz Lightyear costume in his backpack, so I offered to go and change him before the party started.  This only led to more crying, and finally a full fit evolved as the party was about to begin.  Lauren, our home therapist, took the reigns and led him out the side door to cool down.  I saw shoes thrown about, and heard the yelling from inside the classroom...but put on a happy face and helped the sweet peers with their class project.  About an hour into the party, Lauren came to my room and told me, "I just want you to know, he's in costume, getting his face painted, and having a good time."  He came to my room for the next rotation, and he was as happy as can be.  I helped him with his little bat craft and ended up sneaking out as the kids went outside to play. 

Hunter passed out the special GF Halloween mix we made
(white chocolate drizzled on chex, raisins, candy corn, and pretzels)

Later that night, we went trick or treating with our neighbors.  Hunter ran up to Sophie and was so excited to go to our sweet neighbor Ann's house.  She told me earlier that week that she had bought special gluten free gummy bears for Hunter.  :)  We started about 6:45PM, and Hunter said he was ready to go home by 7:15PM.  Again, the fatigue factor is so mind boggling for me with him.  What child wants to go home when they are getting a stash of candy??!!  Overall, he did great...not too many, "I don't want that kind!" or "No thanks."  He said "trick or treat" at every door, and even remembered unprompted to use his manners.  Our dentist has a candy "buy back," where she gives her patients a couple dollars for candy that she then sends to the troops.  Can't wait to get it out of the house!

Paige's Scarecrow day at school, minus a few pieces of her costume

Firefighter, Olympic Gymnast, and Buzz



The season of holidays is fast approaching.  It's hard for everyone to remember that this season not only brings excitement and joy to most little ones, but also brings anxiety, frustration, and unnerveness to those with "different minds."  The chatter in the classrooms, the transitions, the decorations...constant reminders that something is different.  Something is not on the daily schedule.  Something that has a child like mine sitting on the edge of their chair, not quite sure how to react to yet another change.  Something that is so wonderful, but so daunting to a child on the spectrum.