Tag: hidden disabilities

Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays: Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays 

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

A Brief Overview 

  • Social interactions can be particularly challenging during the holiday season due to frequent and overwhelming gatherings. 
  • Neurodivergent individuals who enjoy socializing may prefer calm, predictable settings. 
  • Structured social activities provide a comfortable way for neurodivergent individuals to engage with others, as they offer clear rules and a shared experience. 
  • Family gatherings can be stressful due to interactions with relatives they don’t see often, leading to feelings of overwhelm. 
  • It’s crucial to respect the boundaries of neurodivergent individuals, allowing them to make their own choices about social interactions and providing opportunities for breaks to avoid overstimulation. 
  • Understanding and respecting their social preferences and boundaries, especially during the holiday season, helps ensure neurodivergent individuals feel safe, respected, and included. 

Full Article 

Navigating social interactions can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals, especially during the holiday season when gatherings are frequent and often overwhelming. While some neurodivergent people enjoy socializing, they may prefer calm and predictable environments where they can engage in structured activities. Understanding their unique needs and preferences is crucial for creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that allows them to participate comfortably and meaningfully. 

Comfort in calm familiarity 

Neurodivergent people who enjoy socializing may prefer calm, predictable gatherings. They might like sitting with a friend to play video games, quietly working on a puzzle together, or playing board games. When faced with a loud, busy family gathering, neurodivergent individuals may withdraw or seek out one person they enjoy chatting with—someone who genuinely respects and understands their accommodation needs, and with whom they can happily spend time discussing a single subject. This person feels safe to them. However, it’s important to recognize that their safe person might need a break too, so having multiple people that they feel safe with can be beneficial. 

Incorporating structured activities 

For neurodivergent individuals, having structured social activities like board games or group video games can provide a comfortable way to engage with others. Social rules and nuances can often be confusing, making unstructured mingling feel overwhelming and unmanageable. Structured activities offer a more supportive environment for social interaction with the rules clearly identified and a shared experience to drive conversation. Baking together, wrapping presents, and completing holiday crafts are all shared experiences that have clear instructions and goals. These activities not only make socializing more manageable but also add a festive and inclusive touch to holiday gatherings. 

Overstimulation with unfamiliar relatives 

Even family gatherings can feel strange and stressful. Talking to relatives they don’t see often can be tough for your loved one as they work out how to talk and act around people that feel unfamiliar, even if they are family. This can be overwhelming since they have to understand and respond to different social cues and expectations that might not be easy or comfortable for them. 

To help ease this stress, consider preparing your loved one in advance by discussing who will be at the gathering and what to expect. Shared interests can be a great way to connect with others and make conversations more engaging. Tell or remind the neurodivergent individual of interests they have in common with relatives they don’t see as often to help start conversations. Socializing can be challenging, so it’s important to be patient and provide support without pressure. 

Supporting boundaries and choice 

Even with careful planning and maintaining traditions, the holiday season can still be overwhelming. Back-to-back events can be exhausting for anyone, but they can quickly become overstimulating for neurodivergent individuals. Seeing new people or people they only see once a year, having to navigate complex social hierarchies, and often trying to hide their neurodivergent traits to fit in can be very draining. While it is important to encourage your neurodivergent loved one to engage, it’s also critical to respect their boundaries and teach them how to have agency. Agency refers to their ability to make their own choices and decisions about social interactions, ensuring they feel empowered and in control. Allowing them to sit out some holiday parties for the sake of their own wellbeing can be a gift of emotional recharge, ensuring they don’t come out of the season completely exhausted. 

Conclusion 

Recognizing and respecting the social preferences and boundaries of neurodivergent individuals is essential, especially during the busy holiday season. Providing structured activities and allowing for breaks can help them manage the stress and overstimulation that often accompany large gatherings. By fostering an environment of understanding and support, we can ensure that neurodivergent individuals feel safe, respected, and included, ultimately enhancing their social experiences and overall well-being. 

Learn More about Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays 

This is part of a four-part series on the topic of creating joyful and inclusive holidays for neurodivergent family members, which began with Supporting a Neurodivergent Family Member During the Holidays. Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling provides tips and strategies to support neurodivergent individuals during travel to minimize stress. Learn Sensory-Friendly Tips for Neurodivergent Loved Ones to ensure they can enjoy the festivities and participate in making memories. Finally, Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays provides strategies for managing stress and overstimulation in social situations. 

Additional information: 

Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays: Sensory-Friendly Tips for Neurodivergent Loved Ones

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

A Brief Overview

  • This is part of a four-part series on the topic of creating joyful and inclusive holidays for neurodivergent family members, which began in Supporting a Neurodivergent Family Member During the Holidays and continues in Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling and Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays.
  • The holidays bring various sensory inputs that can be joyful for some but overwhelming for others.
  • It’s important to plan for managing these sensory experiences to help neurodivergent loved ones.
  • Identify or create a calm space where the neurodivergent person can decompress and avoid or reduce overwhelm.
  • Preferences for specific sensory supports should be discussed with the neurodivergent individual.
  • Recognize and normalize self-stimulatory behaviors, or “stims”, that do not cause physical harm to themselves or others as coping mechanisms for managing sensory input and stress.
  • Plan for touch-sensitive individuals by setting boundaries, providing scripts for addressing unwanted touch, and having an escape plan.
  • Foster an inclusive environment by understanding and respecting sensory needs, ensuring clear communication, and seeking feedback from neurodivergent loved ones.

Full Article

The holidays are full of sensory experiences. Flickering candles, holiday music, the aromas of food cooking, the fur on an unfamiliar dog, and the sounds of rambunctiously happy family members all provide sensory input. What is a source of joy for one person may be a cause for overwhelm to another. To help manage these varying sensory experiences, it’s important to plan ahead.

A calm space

Identifying or creating a space where to take a break and still have fun eases the intensity and allows your loved one to decompress. The “veg-out room” usually creates itself, when people go there to relax and watch TV marathons while their stomachs settle after a big meal. By dimming the lights and keeping things quiet in this space, you can quickly and easily build a calming environment for neurodivergent family members to retreat, relax, and rejoin social activities when it is right for them.

Sensory systems and preferences

To reduce the potential for being overwhelmed, your loved one may need to wear earbuds or headphones during social periods or other activities. Similarly, weighted clothing or objects (like blankets or stuffed toys) may provide a sense of comfort and security. Sensory supports are not one-size-fits-all, so talk with your loved one about their preferences. If you notice their preferences related to a specific sensory system, they may be interested in exploring other ways to meet their sensory needs at a later time. PAVE provides a downloadable introducing to The Sensory Systems and How to Meet Their Needs in the article, Giving the Gift of Sensory Regulation, Supporting a Happy Holiday Season for All. Resist the urge to introduce new sensory supports without input from your neurodivergent loved one and especially during the holidays, when there are already many unfamiliar experiences to navigate.

Normalizing self-stimulation

Many neurodivergent people do specific repetitive behaviors to manage sensory input, reduce anxiety, or express themselves. These self-stimulatory behaviors, or “stims”, are ways they’ve learned intuitively to comfort themselves, cope in times of stress, and even express joy. Being able to respectfully discuss and normalize stimming that does not cause harm to themselves or others helps to create a more inclusive environment. Thought-out responses can turn an angry retort into a teaching moment, such as, “Everyone has their own way of being and this is her way of pushing through her discomfort to spend this time with us. She is doing her best and we’re glad she’s here!”

Touch sensitivities

Unexpected touch can be very upsetting, especially those who are touch sensitive. Even those who would usually understand touch sensitivity may cross boundaries during the holidays. When consent to touch can’t be communicated or understood, preparation is critical. If your loved one is touch sensitive, there are some things you can do ahead of time to accommodate and support their needs:

  • Plan an escape route to a place where they can find sanctuary.
  • Remind family and friends of acceptable touch before you gather. For example, “I hope your saving your hugs for me and your fist-bumps for Theo!”
  • Provide scripts for addressing unwanted touch from children, pets, and adults. For instance, telling a child, “I really don’t want you climbing on my lap, but you can sit next to me on the couch and show me your Pokémon game.” Communicating to a pet owner, “I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by Cooper trying to put her head in my space. Can you keep her behind the dog gate?”, can help mitigate the overwhelming touch before it happens.
  • Assemble a team of supporters to gently redirect unwelcome touch and serve as a shield. These family members and friends can step in as needed to respectfully uphold boundaries, such as sitting between your loved one and a reaching child or holding a persistent animal to keep it from jumping on them.
  • Prepare an escape plan by arranging for an individual they feel safe with to pick them up, if their touch boundaries are not respected.

Conclusion

Creating a supportive and inclusive holiday environment involves understanding and respecting the sensory needs of neurodivergent loved ones. By providing sensory supports and clear communication about touch boundaries, we can help them navigate the holiday season with greater comfort and ease. Seeking feedback from your neurodivergent loved one and giving them a sense of agency in determining their sensory supports ensures their needs are met effectively. With careful planning and empathy, we can ensure that everyone, regardless of their sensory preferences, can enjoy the holidays and create cherished memories together.

Learn More about Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays

This is part of a four-part series on the topic of creating joyful and inclusive holidays for neurodivergent family members, which began with Supporting a Neurodivergent Family Member During the Holidays. Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling provides tips and strategies to support neurodivergent individuals during travel to minimize stress. Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays provides strategies for managing stress and overstimulation in social situations.

Additional information:

Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays: Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling 

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

A Brief Overview

  • This is part of a four-part series on the topic of creating joyful and inclusive holidays for neurodivergent family members, which began in Supporting a Neurodivergent Family Member During the Holidays and continues in Sensory-Friendly Tips for Neurodivergent Loved Ones and Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays.
  • Social interactions can be particularly challenging during the holiday season due to frequent and overwhelming gatherings.
  • Neurodivergent individuals who enjoy socializing may prefer calm, predictable settings.
  • Structured social activities provide a comfortable way for neurodivergent individuals to engage with others, as they offer clear rules and a shared experience.
  • Family gatherings can be stressful due to interactions with relatives they don’t see often, leading to feelings of overwhelm.
  • It’s crucial to respect the boundaries of neurodivergent individuals, allowing them to make their own choices about social interactions and providing opportunities for breaks to avoid overstimulation.
  • Understanding and respecting their social preferences and boundaries, especially during the holiday season, helps ensure neurodivergent individuals feel safe, respected, and included.

Full Article

Navigating social interactions can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals, especially during the holiday season when gatherings are frequent and often overwhelming. While some neurodivergent people enjoy socializing, they may prefer calm and predictable environments where they can engage in structured activities. Understanding their unique needs and preferences is crucial for creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that allows them to participate comfortably and meaningfully.

Comfort in calm familiarity

Neurodivergent people who enjoy socializing may prefer calm, predictable gatherings. They might like sitting with a friend to play video games, quietly working on a puzzle together, or playing board games. When faced with a loud, busy family gathering, neurodivergent individuals may withdraw or seek out one person they enjoy chatting with—someone who genuinely respects and understands their accommodation needs, and with whom they can happily spend time discussing a single subject. This person feels safe to them. However, it’s important to recognize that their safe person might need a break too, so having multiple people that they feel safe with can be beneficial.

Incorporating structured activities

For neurodivergent individuals, having structured social activities like board games or group video games can provide a comfortable way to engage with others. Social rules and nuances can often be confusing, making unstructured mingling feel overwhelming and unmanageable. Structured activities offer a more supportive environment for social interaction with the rules clearly identified and a shared experience to drive conversation. Baking together, wrapping presents, and completing holiday crafts are all shared experiences that have clear instructions and goals. These activities not only make socializing more manageable but also add a festive and inclusive touch to holiday gatherings.

Overstimulation with unfamiliar relatives

Even family gatherings can feel strange and stressful. Talking to relatives they don’t see often can be tough for your loved one as they work out how to talk and act around people that feel unfamiliar, even if they are family. This can be overwhelming since they have to understand and respond to different social cues and expectations that might not be easy or comfortable for them.

To help ease this stress, consider preparing your loved one in advance by discussing who will be at the gathering and what to expect. Shared interests can be a great way to connect with others and make conversations more engaging. Tell or remind the neurodivergent individual of interests they have in common with relatives they don’t see as often to help start conversations. Socializing can be challenging, so it’s important to be patient and provide support without pressure.

Supporting boundaries and choice

Even with careful planning and maintaining traditions, the holiday season can still be overwhelming. Back-to-back events can be exhausting for anyone, but they can quickly become overstimulating for neurodivergent individuals. Seeing new people or people they only see once a year, having to navigate complex social hierarchies, and often trying to hide their neurodivergent traits to fit in can be very draining. While it is important to encourage your neurodivergent loved one to engage, it’s also critical to respect their boundaries and teach them how to have agency. Agency refers to their ability to make their own choices and decisions about social interactions, ensuring they feel empowered and in control. Allowing them to sit out some holiday parties for the sake of their own wellbeing can be a gift of emotional recharge, ensuring they don’t come out of the season completely exhausted.

Conclusion

Recognizing and respecting the social preferences and boundaries of neurodivergent individuals is essential, especially during the busy holiday season. Providing structured activities and allowing for breaks can help them manage the stress and overstimulation that often accompany large gatherings. By fostering an environment of understanding and support, we can ensure that neurodivergent individuals feel safe, respected, and included, ultimately enhancing their social experiences and overall well-being.

Learn More about Creating Joyful and Inclusive Holidays

This is part of a four-part series on the topic of creating joyful and inclusive holidays for neurodivergent family members, which began with Supporting a Neurodivergent Family Member During the Holidays. Meeting Neurodivergent Needs While Traveling provides tips and strategies to support neurodivergent individuals during travel to minimize stress. Learn Sensory-Friendly Tips for Neurodivergent Loved Ones to ensure they can enjoy the festivities and participate in making memories. Finally, creating Comfortable Social Spaces for Neurodivergent Individuals During the Holidays provides strategies for managing stress and overstimulation in social situations.

Additional information: