The SpecialMoms Parenting Magazine Issue 5 | Page 12

Turn Your Staycation in
By Chantale Dupuis

T

aking a family vacation is usually associated with fun, excitement and relaxation.
Some special needs families might not
agree. Admittedly, I don’t think of any of
those things when I think about a family vacation.
Both my sons have autism. For children with autism there is a fine line between fun and stress and
between excitement and sensory overload. Many
autistic children are hyperactive and are anxious in
new environments, which make it near to impossible for them to relax. This is why, to a special needs
child, a vacation may equal stress, meltdowns and
being just plain miserable. In turn, it is very difficult

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for the family to enjoy themselves and relax. No parent likes to see his or her child miserable. So it’s no
surprise that a staycation is status quo for our family
and probably many other special needs families too.
Each family’s definition of a Staycation may vary.
For many years, our staycations resembled a lazy
weekend when you stay home and don’t do anything
special. It is not what we wanted but it was just easier than dealing with the stress and anxiety that outings caused us. That being said, we wanted things to
change. I believe that anything can be taught. When
teaching a task to a child with autism, it has to be

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