Summer is a time of year I love. The
sun, the beach, getting outdoors, BBQs, all great fun, but for many this is one
of the most challenging times of the year. For us aspies change is a big deal,
but someone forgot to tell Mother Nature and she's decided it's time to heat
the Northern Hemisphere up again for another few months...
Schools close down, my regular support
networks go into 'summer mode' - regular meetings stop and sensory issues take
on a whole new dimension.
Growing up I found school so traumatic
that the prospect of 6 weeks off excited me no end, but I'm sure my parents
dreaded this! Even though I enjoy summer I still get affected by the
disruption.
In this post I'd like to share the top
8 things I've found that have helped me make the most of the summer months. I
hope you enjoy reading this and if this is an area you or your child struggles
with then I do hope it is helpful or gives some ideas you might be able to try.
1. Make a plan
BBQ invites, pool party, summer club,
family visits, friends out of town, is quiz night still happening? What's going
on?!
How do I co-ordinate the ad-hoc
randomness that is summer? I plan. I plan everything. Neat, orderly and visual
is how I roll, so for me making sense of summer involves a plan too.
I have both a wall planner to plot my
weekly schedule and a page a day diary to track what I intend to do. It's
colour coded and very visual. I can instantly see what is and more importantly
what isn't happening. Now I work full time it is far easier to keep routines
going but over my school days having a visual chart made it easier to see what
was happening. 1 week at home, 1 week at Granddad's, 1 week back home etc. It
may sound overkill to plan in such detail, but a simple change in my regular routine
can cause me huge confusion if I'm not careful. If I'm used to attending club
on a Wednesday evening but it's not on during August, then I default to being
confused every Wednesday in August. It's far easier to plan advance what I'll
do during that time so I don't go into a spin over it later.
2. Have a sleep routine
I don't sleep well EVER. Summer is
worse. I barely sleep AT ALL! OK, so this may be an exaggeration but tiredness
features very large in summer for me. My sensory issues mean I struggle with
the heat, the light and the sound. If it's too hot, I won't sleep, if it's too
bright I won't sleep, if it's too loud... you get the picture.
So here in the UK USA Greenland ! It does however mean that I have a very low
tolerance to heat when it comes to sleeping, the bedroom must be cool!
This far north the issue of light also
causes problems. It gets dark at about 10:30pm and light again at 4am. I have a
thick blanket I drape over the blinds to keep the light out, otherwise I'm wide
awake very early! Of course this unhelpfully keeps the room nice and toasty.
Noise might not seem a particularly
summer issue but here's the problem. In the winter my window is shut and
everyone is inside, nice and quiet. In the summer the opposite is true.
Saturday night I had the pleasure of listening to a neighbours party roll on
until 4am, it wasn't a crazy party, but enough to stop me settling.
I live in a crowded British town, so
until I win the lottery and move to an isolated cottage in Svalbard I have to prepare for sleep in advance.
Making sure to keep the room cool, earplugs at hand, no caffeine after noon and
if all else fails a cup of warm milk and a nice book.
3. Know your limits
It's so easy to take on too much in the
summer. I find it hard to sit indoors when the sun is out. Britain
4. Keep hydrated
I think everyone gets a bit moody when
they're a bit dehydrated, but it's especially important for me as getting a bit
moody makes me less likely to spot and deal with meltdowns. Meltdowns can
cause my body temperature to soar and have seriously dehydrated myself this way
in the past. I have water at hand everywhere I go and make sure I keep drinking
regularly even if I don't recognise I need it.
5. Sun screen, sun screen and more sun screen
The lobster look isn't great and we all
know the dangers of sunburn. The problem is applying the lotion. I don't like
the feel of it and I don't especially like being touched so getting someone to
rub it in is a pain. What's more of a pain though is dealing with the sleep
problems when I've turned into a 6foot blister on legs. I think the sensory
issue of yucky lotion is better than skin cancer. I tell myself each year that
I'll learn this issue; I say as I type away with sunburn yet again.
6. Earplugs
Earplugs? Yes earplugs are on my summer
survival list. People get loud in summer, windows get opened, music gets
played. I want quiet. Easiest solution is to put in earplugs. If I'm out I'll
substitute these for headphones. They don't have to be connected to anything,
they can simply muffle the noise enough for me to enjoy the beach or park or
wherever I am. I think my parents might have liked this approach when I was a
child too. Seeing someone with headphones on is a great visual clue that I
shouldn't keep talking at them. It might have saved my parents the constant
interruptions from me while excitedly showing them my collection of woodlice or
broken pottery or whatever I was whittering on about as a child!
7. Get outdoors
Alone or with friends and family, I
love to get outdoors. I like to get out all year round but summer offers some
great new options. I had lunch today sat by outside and then spend the afternoon
reading a book. Very peaceful and relaxing. Go for a walk. Get some fresh air.
I find that the exercise and fresh air helps me sleep and lifts my mood.
Geocaching is a personal favourite. Fun for adults and children alike. A modern
global treasure hunt. In essence it is using multimillion dollar satellites to
help you locate hidden Tupperware boxes filled with rubbish toys. Give it a
try!
8. Stay in touch
Finally for me it's important to stay
in touch. Friends and family who may be away and disruption to routine can
leave me feeling isolated. The wonders of the internet allow for easy
communication with people around the world. If I recognise I'm getting a bit
lonely it's very easy to send a message or text and keep in contact with people
who are important to me.
I hope you've found this list of
interest. I'd love to hear what you enjoy most about summer and how you
overcome the challenges you may find with this time of year. Feel free to let
me know via the comments or Facebook. Enjoy your summer!
