Routines Are Key!!

Like most special needs kids, our son thrives on routine. He looks at the calendar every morning for about 5 mins so he knows what's coming up. If something is not on it or gets changed it makes him upset!!  Our calendar is colour coded so he knows green is his "stuff". We also have to cross every day off at bed time. We never promise anything unless we know it will happen. His school is very routined as well every day of the week is the same which he tells me every morning while I put his shoes on whats happening. I know but just listen to him, it helps to start his day off right. He has separation anxiety and social anxiety so routine routine routine makes his life easier. He worries about being sooooo busy some weeks but as long as it's mostly on the calendar he does ok. Somedays I wish he would just go with the flow but his brain doesn't work that way. Crowds and nose bother him as well and many times we have had to get up and leave early because we can see he's had too much. Melt downs seem less as he gets older or we have figured out triggers and leave before one starts. He tries so hard sometimes not to have one I can see in his eyes he's trying to hold back and doesn't want to yell and cry. Usually his melt downs are towards me but I have read it's because him and I are so connected that he uses me to help him. I don't know if his anxiety is due to his meds (which can be a side effect) or it's just the way he is. Meds control the seizures and we try to help with his anxiety. His biggest thing right now is if we leave the house he asks us 6 times if we put the dog in her cage usually all three of us say "yes she is" at the same time. Lol. If that's all we have to do to have a good time while thats easy. As a family we do have a hard time with making friends not everyone understands the effect of one a special needs child and two one with anxiety. He's great with my family, sometimes he has enough and it's time to go and that's ok, and we have a couple of friends that he likes to see, but they do extra things like make him a safe room in their homes where he can go to get away and have chill time. No other kid allowed. But the biggest thing friends can do is just treat him like any other child. Talk to him, play with him and if need be give him space. It's hard some days but I wouldn't change a thing about him. He is who he is and we love him so much just that way. 💕