Autistic Teenagers Guide to the Summer Holidays

Do you ever feel like you’ve spent the whole year waiting for the summer holidays, only to find yourself struggling to enjoy them once they finally arrive? 

If you’re an Autistic teenager who finds it hard to navigate the transition between the structure of school and the freedom of the holidays, then this guide is for you!

Change can be difficult – Even when it’s something you’ve been looking forward to. While we often give ourselves grace when transitioning into a new school term, the transition into the holidays is often overlooked. This guide highlights a few strategies and ideas for managing this transition.

1. Allow Yourself Time to Adjust

You might require a few days to decompress, catch up on sleep or just do nothing. Allow yourself to do this.

2. Create a Routine That Works for You

Transitioning from strictly structured school days to endless freedom is a difficult adjustment. Establish your own routine at home. This will help you find a sense of consistency and ensure you remember to complete the self-care tasks you deem necessary. Get up at a similar time each day, eat lunch at a similar time, and establish when you need to go to bed to ensure you get the right amount of sleep. While this routine can of course be flexible to accommodate activities, having a basic routine will provide a reassuring framework for your days.

3. Exercise

Many people’s least favourite word, but one of the most important things you can do. During school, you may be inadvertently exercising more than you think –  Walking to school, walking to and from classes, and extracurricular sports all help you keep your body moving. Throughout the summer, however, these things all stop, and it is easy to forego replacing them with anything. This lack of movement can lead to feeling low, tired, or unmotivated.

Finding time every day to exercise will help you feel upbeat and can be a good way of socializing. Going on walks with friends and doing activities such as ice skating can be fun outings. Exercise does not have to be overwhelming.

4. Find Accessible Things to Do

While summer holidays offer lots of free time, they also come with their own set of challenges – Crowded spaces. Popular spots like movie theatres, shopping centers, parks and zoos are way busier during the holidays than throughout the year. The crowds at major activity centers may be inaccessible to a lot of Autistic teenagers.

Fortunately, many locations offer accessible screenings or quieter times for visiting. Look at your local movie theatres websites for accessible screenings and plan to go places during less busy periods.

Alternatively, going for walks or doing things with friends at home can be just as fun as outings and a lot less overwhelming. The summer holidays are also a great time to explore new hobbies – try new things!

5. Plan for Big Events (and Schedule Recovery Time)

If you are planning big events like parties or a beach trip, remember to schedule recovery time afterwards. The summer holidays are a great time to do things you were too busy or tired for throughout the year, but don’t overload your schedule with things that tire you out so much, which may make the transition back to school challenging.

6. Prepare for Heading Back to School

Your routine in the holidays may be drastically different to your school schedule. A week or so before you head back to school, start adjusting your holiday schedule to align with your school one. Start getting up earlier and going to bed earlier, thinking about what supplies you need, and what food you’d like for school lunches.

Remember, the summer holidays can look however you’d like them to. You do not have to do heaps of things. Hopefully, this guide gives you some helpful ideas to build fun into your holidays, however that looks for you. Happy holidays and enjoy your time off!

Written by Esther MacIsaac