A Nuerodivergent Parent’s Guide to the Summer Holidays

🌞 A Neurodivergent Parent’s Summer Holiday Guide 🌞 

6 plus weeks of no school and no structure can seem so overwhelming at times!

As a ND mum of 2 neurodiverse boys, some of the tips I live by every summer are:

✨ In our house, one day out = the next day in.  

Regulation matters.  Yours too! And pacing ourselves helps everyone.

🥪 Take your own food/snacks with you.  

Less queuing, less frustration.  Safe food for all - it’s necessary 😋 

🎧 Small sensory toys that can be easily packed - ear defenders, fidget toys, chew necklaces - whatever works for your family

📻 Audiobooks for long journeys, they’re nice to mix in with favourite music tracks when you’re on the move

💡 Create a menu of activity options based on your energy level, not a strict schedule 

🟢 High energy? Beach, splash park, forest, days out.

🟡 Medium? Library, garden, crafts, soft play

🔴 Low? Ours include:

🍓 A living room picnic with a movie.

🧃 Favourite drinks and snacks in the park.

🛋️ An afternoon of cuddles, baking cookies and Lego.

These are memories. These are enough.

🏡 Building in sensory-safe time every day: quiet corners, weighted blankets, baths, noise-cancelling headphones, for you too (especially for you!). 

🧴Trialing different sunscreens - a different sensory experience can save meltdowns before you’ve even left home. A current favourite of ours is a spray on one.  It’s light (and a little oily), so applies differently and feels less ‘sticky’.

☀️ Temperature changes can cause dysregulation.  It’s good to be mindful anyone taking ADHD meds are more susceptible to changes in heat and will most likely struggle more (sweat 🥵) and need more fluids than normal 🧃 

💬 Name the hard stuff out loud. “We’re all a bit overstimulated.” “Let’s take a reset moment”.  That’s co-regulation. And it’s ND parenting magic 🪄 .  It’s great role modelling too 🎉.

The holidays don’t need to be Pinterest-perfect.  Let them be real, gentle, sensory-safe, and full of tiny moments that matter 💛

📢 And if no one has said it to you lately:

You are doing brilliantly.

Even when it’s hard.

Even when it’s messy.

Even when you’re counting down the hours till bedtime…