E-Speaks eNewsletter
Halloween is a fun-filled holiday for many, but all of the excitement can be overwhelming for some children and adults with autism. For some, Halloween may be a favorite day of the year; for others, the decorations, costumes and activities may be extremely challenging. We hope the resources and perspectives below will help you and your family enjoy a Halloween that works best for you!Prepare for Halloween with this teaching story
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Halloween is a fun-filled holiday for many, but all of the excitement can be overwhelming for some children and adults with autism.
One of the best ways to make the occasion as positive as possible is to prepare ahead of time. We created a Halloween teaching story to share with your child before the holiday so that he or she knows all about what will happen on and around October 31st!
Happy Halloween!
Download the teaching story here.
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Five ways to help your special kid love Halloween as much as you do
Here's a teaser: Still not up for door to door? Start a new tradition. If trick or treating is still too much for your little spook there is still plenty of fun to be had.
5 ways to help your special kid love Halloween as much as you do!
This blog post was written by Peggy Gilpatric, a mom to a son with autism and writer at "Raising Jedi". The goal of Raising Jedi is to promote positivity in the ASD community. Learn more about Peggy and her family here.
Our first attempt at trick or treating lasted for exactly two house visits. The first went on without incident. The second, however, ended our journey. I rang the doorbell and a nice lady answered with a bowl full of treats. So far so good, until my little Jedi saw that her living room contained not one, but THREE ceiling fans. He walked right in and started flapping his little arms as fast as they would go. As luck would have it, the residents were quite friendly. They invited us all in to watch the World Series and to crack open a beer. (Juice for the Jedi.) It wasn’t the Halloween that we had envisioned, but it wasn’t half bad. I simply LOVE Halloween. I love planning for Halloween. I love decorating for Halloween, but when it comes to the actual day, I have learned to manage my expectations. In that way, it is pretty much just like every other day as the parent of a kiddo on the spectrum. It can still be great.
I thought that I would make a little list to help out possible first timers or those who have had a bad experience in the past. Let me preface this by saying that I sometimes see lists like these and get a little miffed. That usually happens because the advice is either totally obvious or would NEVER work for my kid. If you have something that works for you, but that is not part of this list, please mention it in the comments. We are all here to help each other, right?
#1 Go on a reconnaissance mission!
Trick or treating can be a minefield of motion-activated meltdowns. Mom or dad, travel the entryway to heavily decorated houses first. For us, a jumping spider meant an ABRUPT end to the festivities. For sound sensitive kiddos, try bringing headphones. You could even incorporate them into the costume. Pilot? Or dare I say it… Princess Leia buns! Awww, yeah!
#2 Avoid “MALLoweens.”
These are events advertised as safe and fun alternatives to traditional trick or treating. They usually take place in a mall or shopping center. Some people love them. I am not a fan. In my experience, they can be a big sensory bomb. There are almost always lines, everyone's yelling with great acoustics in the building, and huge crowds. Maybe if it is raining and a last resort, but even then I may end up being the one being carried to the car in full freak-out mode.
#3 Don’t get hung up on the perfect costume.
It is really hard for me to take my own advice on this one. There is nothing that I like more than a perfectly posed Halloween picture with an awesome group costume. As you can see from all of these pictures, I torture both my child and my husband by taking all of the Halloween snapshots. However, if your kiddo is not comfortable in their costume, you may end up spending your evening chasing around the new neighborhood streaker instead. The best costume that I may have ever come up with was also the most comfy. Alvin and the Chipmunks. Sweats and t-shirts. Boom! Done. Does it matter if your kid is dressed in pajamas, rain boots, a backwards cape, with a colander on his head? Anyone can be Spiderman, but he will be the cutest and happiest super/fisherman/pastafarian in town!
#4 Don’t let dietary restrictions stop you.
A lot of our kiddos have sensory aversions or dietary restrictions. We can work around this in a few ways. For instance, my child HATES chocolate. (He did NOT inherit this distaste from me.) We made a deal. He gets to trade in this chocolate bars for fruity candy. He is happy and I gain five pounds. We even have a local dentist who encourages kids to trade him candy for toys. I realize that both of these things require a child to have the ability to be able to see the reward ahead. That is not always possible, so we go back to reconnaissance. Visit a few of your neighbors before you go out, and drop off a goodie bag full of preferred items for them to pass on to your kiddo when he or she comes knocking. Most people are pretty cool with it.
#5 Still not up for door to door? Start a new tradition.
If trick or treating is still too much for your little spook there is still fun to be had. Maybe he can pass out the treats, be designated candy sorter, or paint pumpkins. If all of the doorbell ringing is too disturbing, turn off the porch light, build a couch tent, and watch Goosebumps or Charlie Brown. I hear that the Great Pumpkin loves getting letters this time of year.
I hope that you, as a parent, find at least one of these ideas helpful. If not, don’t give up. Remember that we are nothing if not extremely adaptable people. It kills me to see articles titled, “Surviving the Holidays.” Let us not merely survive. Let us soak up all the joy that this crazy trip called parenthood has to offer. Have a great Halloween from your friends at RaisingJedi!
Five ways to help your special kid love Halloween as much as you do
5 ways to help your special kid love Halloween as much as you do!
This blog post was written by Peggy Gilpatric, a mom to a son with autism and writer at "Raising Jedi". The goal of Raising Jedi is to promote positivity in the ASD community. Learn more about Peggy and her family here.
Our first attempt at trick or treating lasted for exactly two house visits. The first went on without incident. The second, however, ended our journey. I rang the doorbell and a nice lady answered with a bowl full of treats. So far so good, until my little Jedi saw that her living room contained not one, but THREE ceiling fans. He walked right in and started flapping his little arms as fast as they would go. As luck would have it, the residents were quite friendly. They invited us all in to watch the World Series and to crack open a beer. (Juice for the Jedi.) It wasn’t the Halloween that we had envisioned, but it wasn’t half bad. I simply LOVE Halloween. I love planning for Halloween. I love decorating for Halloween, but when it comes to the actual day, I have learned to manage my expectations. In that way, it is pretty much just like every other day as the parent of a kiddo on the spectrum. It can still be great.
I thought that I would make a little list to help out possible first timers or those who have had a bad experience in the past. Let me preface this by saying that I sometimes see lists like these and get a little miffed. That usually happens because the advice is either totally obvious or would NEVER work for my kid. If you have something that works for you, but that is not part of this list, please mention it in the comments. We are all here to help each other, right?
#1 Go on a reconnaissance mission!
Trick or treating can be a minefield of motion-activated meltdowns. Mom or dad, travel the entryway to heavily decorated houses first. For us, a jumping spider meant an ABRUPT end to the festivities. For sound sensitive kiddos, try bringing headphones. You could even incorporate them into the costume. Pilot? Or dare I say it… Princess Leia buns! Awww, yeah!
#2 Avoid “MALLoweens.”
These are events advertised as safe and fun alternatives to traditional trick or treating. They usually take place in a mall or shopping center. Some people love them. I am not a fan. In my experience, they can be a big sensory bomb. There are almost always lines, everyone's yelling with great acoustics in the building, and huge crowds. Maybe if it is raining and a last resort, but even then I may end up being the one being carried to the car in full freak-out mode.
#3 Don’t get hung up on the perfect costume.
It is really hard for me to take my own advice on this one. There is nothing that I like more than a perfectly posed Halloween picture with an awesome group costume. As you can see from all of these pictures, I torture both my child and my husband by taking all of the Halloween snapshots. However, if your kiddo is not comfortable in their costume, you may end up spending your evening chasing around the new neighborhood streaker instead. The best costume that I may have ever come up with was also the most comfy. Alvin and the Chipmunks. Sweats and t-shirts. Boom! Done. Does it matter if your kid is dressed in pajamas, rain boots, a backwards cape, with a colander on his head? Anyone can be Spiderman, but he will be the cutest and happiest super/fisherman/pastafarian in town!
#4 Don’t let dietary restrictions stop you.
A lot of our kiddos have sensory aversions or dietary restrictions. We can work around this in a few ways. For instance, my child HATES chocolate. (He did NOT inherit this distaste from me.) We made a deal. He gets to trade in this chocolate bars for fruity candy. He is happy and I gain five pounds. We even have a local dentist who encourages kids to trade him candy for toys. I realize that both of these things require a child to have the ability to be able to see the reward ahead. That is not always possible, so we go back to reconnaissance. Visit a few of your neighbors before you go out, and drop off a goodie bag full of preferred items for them to pass on to your kiddo when he or she comes knocking. Most people are pretty cool with it.
#5 Still not up for door to door? Start a new tradition.
If trick or treating is still too much for your little spook there is still fun to be had. Maybe he can pass out the treats, be designated candy sorter, or paint pumpkins. If all of the doorbell ringing is too disturbing, turn off the porch light, build a couch tent, and watch Goosebumps or Charlie Brown. I hear that the Great Pumpkin loves getting letters this time of year.
I hope that you, as a parent, find at least one of these ideas helpful. If not, don’t give up. Remember that we are nothing if not extremely adaptable people. It kills me to see articles titled, “Surviving the Holidays.” Let us not merely survive. Let us soak up all the joy that this crazy trip called parenthood has to offer. Have a great Halloween from your friends at RaisingJedi!
Read More
Some tricks to make Halloween a treat: Advice from a teen on the spectrum
In this post, Ethan Hirschberg shares why Halloween has been so difficult for him growing up, as well as tips to help make the holiday fun for others who might find it a challenging holiday.
5 Tricks to Make Halloween a Treat For Your Child with Autism
This blog is by Ethan Hirschberg is a sixteen year old with autism. He started a blog in March 2017 called The Journey Through Autism where he shares his personal experiences, insight, and advice to individuals on the spectrum, parents, caregivers, educators, and providers. Check out his blog by clicking here!
When most kids think of October, they think of Halloween. As you know, kids love Halloween because they get pounds of candy, which means nightmares for parents. Additionally, kids love to dress up in costumes with their friends to go trick-or-treating. When I was younger, this was not the case for me.
Many kids with autism (especially me) have difficulties during Halloween. The first thing that my mom did to help me was make a social story. A social story is a mini storyline that my mom made up about the Halloween rituals. It included getting dressed in a costume, leaving our house, going to other houses, knocking on the door, waiting patiently, saying “trick-or-treat,” getting the candy, and then saying “thank you.” It also included what things I should do (only take 1 or 2 pieces of candy), and circumstances that might come up, like not liking the candy given to me. We would read this in the weeks leading up to Halloween.
Also, I’ve never liked to dress up in costumes, whether it’s for Halloween, a Jewish holiday, school dress up days, or a school play. I’ve hated having anything on that’s not my regular clothes. This was obviously a problem for me since everybody who trick-or-treats dresses up. Costumes were always uncomfortable for me because of my sensory issues. Because of this, my parents would buy the costume a month or so in advance and we would practice wearing it daily so I could get used to it. One thing that did help was to dress up as something related to my special interest at that time, such as a police officer or firefighter. I was often shy and embarrassed to be seen in my costume because I didn’t like extra attention on me, but I was motivated by candy so I could be distracted by that.
Besides not liking costumes, I have never liked saying “trick-or-treat.” This is because I was shy and didn’t like talking to people that I didn’t know really well. It never helped when I went to my neighbor’s house and they would say something like “Ethan, what are you supposed to say?” I usually froze up and my mom would end up saying “trick-or-treat” for me. To help with this fear of saying “trick-or-treat,” my mom, dad, and ABA providers would practice with me for weeks in advance. This way, I would be more used to it when the time came. Also, at first I only went to well known neighbors and then I called it quits. Over time, I worked up to more and more houses.
Pumpkin carving was also very difficult for me during Halloween. I had trouble with this due to my sensory issues. The feel of the inside of the pumpkin as well as the smell of the pumpkin grossed me out. So, my parents bought colored pegs for me to hammer in to decorate my pumpkins. Now there are even special paints and stickers that can be bought as well. By doing this, my parents gave me a different way to “carve” pumpkins.
The last piece of advice is to not make your child wear a costume that they don’t want to wear. I guarantee that if you make them wear a costume that they don’t like or aren’t comfortable in, none of what I just said will help. I have always refused to do anything that I’m not comfortable with, especially when it comes to clothing. If my mom were to pick out a costume for me that I didn’t like, there would be no chance of me wearing it, but there would certainly be a likelihood that I would argue and fight about it. If your child has no interest in Halloween, don’t even have him/her participate in it. Since I was interested and really liked candy, my mom and dad were able to help me have fun childhood experience like most other kids.
Some tricks to make Halloween a treat: Advice from a teen on the spectrum
5 Tricks to Make Halloween a Treat For Your Child with Autism
This blog is by Ethan Hirschberg is a sixteen year old with autism. He started a blog in March 2017 called The Journey Through Autism where he shares his personal experiences, insight, and advice to individuals on the spectrum, parents, caregivers, educators, and providers. Check out his blog by clicking here!
Many kids with autism (especially me) have difficulties during Halloween. The first thing that my mom did to help me was make a social story. A social story is a mini storyline that my mom made up about the Halloween rituals. It included getting dressed in a costume, leaving our house, going to other houses, knocking on the door, waiting patiently, saying “trick-or-treat,” getting the candy, and then saying “thank you.” It also included what things I should do (only take 1 or 2 pieces of candy), and circumstances that might come up, like not liking the candy given to me. We would read this in the weeks leading up to Halloween.
Also, I’ve never liked to dress up in costumes, whether it’s for Halloween, a Jewish holiday, school dress up days, or a school play. I’ve hated having anything on that’s not my regular clothes. This was obviously a problem for me since everybody who trick-or-treats dresses up. Costumes were always uncomfortable for me because of my sensory issues. Because of this, my parents would buy the costume a month or so in advance and we would practice wearing it daily so I could get used to it. One thing that did help was to dress up as something related to my special interest at that time, such as a police officer or firefighter. I was often shy and embarrassed to be seen in my costume because I didn’t like extra attention on me, but I was motivated by candy so I could be distracted by that.
Pumpkin carving was also very difficult for me during Halloween. I had trouble with this due to my sensory issues. The feel of the inside of the pumpkin as well as the smell of the pumpkin grossed me out. So, my parents bought colored pegs for me to hammer in to decorate my pumpkins. Now there are even special paints and stickers that can be bought as well. By doing this, my parents gave me a different way to “carve” pumpkins.
Read More
Why my son with autism loves unconventional Halloween costumes
"I know what you're thinking. Halloween? Why would anyone choose Halloween (of all holidays) to celebrate my son's autism? Thankfully my son with autism has taught me to look at Halloween through his eyes and I want to share with you what I now see."
Why my son with autism loves unconventional Halloween costumes
This blog post is by Brittany Miller, a 34 year old corrections officer, writer, speaker, mother, and autism advocate from Muskegon, Michigan.
I know what you’re thinking. Halloween? Why would anyone choose Halloween (of all holidays) to celebrate my son's autism? What good could possibly come from the added sugar high, forced social interaction (with strangers no less), and added volume from shrieking and excited children that could possibly warrant a celebration? Well, when you think of it THAT way it doesn’t. Thankfully my son with autism has taught me to look at Halloween through his eyes and I want to share with you what I now see.
My son Granderson (Grandy for short) is 7 years old and was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2014. Grandy also has savant syndrome and when he gets “obsessed” with a subject he learns more than the average person. When he was 4 it was microwaves (hence the microwave costume). At age 5 it was buildings (which is why he wanted to be a deck). At age 6 it was fire alarms (he knew every make and model number). This year at 7, its the weather, specifically tornados and hurricanes.
Halloween is the ONE day a year where being as different as humanly possible is not only accepted, but it’s praised! It’s a day when it’s OK for my child to stand out in the crowd. He can be ANYBODY or ANYTHING that his heart desires and nobody looks down on him for doing so. It’s a day when “regular” children, who are dressed and look the same, don’t get as much positive recognition as a child that doesn’t. In a world filled with Elsa’s, Minions, SpongeBobs, and cartoon characters - my child’s idea of being a microwave or fire alarm earns him extra praise (and candy too). I celebrate autism on Halloween because my son has allowed me to bring his interests to life right before his very eyes! The look of happiness on his face when I present to him his homemade costume is something I cannot put into words. He’s been a microwave, a deck, and a fire alarm (all of which were HIS ideas) and this years costume is no different. It’s the equivalent of a child’s eyes lighting up on Christmas morning or seeing Mickey Mouse for the very first time! It’s in those rare moments,on Halloween, that I KNOW I am doing right by my child.
Grandy is somewhat of a local celebrity due to an incident that made national news headlines. For his 7th birthday we were given an all expense paid trip to Connecticut where the Honeywell (fire alarm company) headquarters is at and the people at Honeywell threw him a 7th birthday party at their fire alarm factory! He has since moved on from fire alarms (thank God lol). Since the first year he was a microwave for Halloween my social media friends wait anxiously every year to see what his costume is going to be. Needless to say Grandy never disappoints them with his ideas (and I try my best) to make his idea a reality. So far I’d say we’ve made a pretty good team and he gets lots of extra candy to prove it.
This year my son has chosen a costume (based on his newest obsession with the weather) that once again I couldn’t buy in a store. It took weeks for me to decide HOW to make it. It is literally filled with my own blood (because I suck at sewing), sweat, and tears, but the look on my son’s face when he saw his finished costume makes it all worth it. I know people will point at him, stare at him, and maybe even giggle at him, but on Halloween ALL of those reactions will be positive instead of negative. My son will receive praise for his costume idea, he will get recognition for thinking outside of the box, and for ONE day he and I will feel the freedom that neurotypical children and parents take for granted.
Why my son with autism loves unconventional Halloween costumes
Why my son with autism loves unconventional Halloween costumes
This blog post is by Brittany Miller, a 34 year old corrections officer, writer, speaker, mother, and autism advocate from Muskegon, Michigan.
My son Granderson (Grandy for short) is 7 years old and was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2014. Grandy also has savant syndrome and when he gets “obsessed” with a subject he learns more than the average person. When he was 4 it was microwaves (hence the microwave costume). At age 5 it was buildings (which is why he wanted to be a deck). At age 6 it was fire alarms (he knew every make and model number). This year at 7, its the weather, specifically tornados and hurricanes.
Grandy is somewhat of a local celebrity due to an incident that made national news headlines. For his 7th birthday we were given an all expense paid trip to Connecticut where the Honeywell (fire alarm company) headquarters is at and the people at Honeywell threw him a 7th birthday party at their fire alarm factory! He has since moved on from fire alarms (thank God lol). Since the first year he was a microwave for Halloween my social media friends wait anxiously every year to see what his costume is going to be. Needless to say Grandy never disappoints them with his ideas (and I try my best) to make his idea a reality. So far I’d say we’ve made a pretty good team and he gets lots of extra candy to prove it.
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Trending on social
"Trending on social" highlights one of the many heartwarming images shared with us by the autism community on our social channels. You can find this photo and many others by following us on Instagram. See More
Trending on social
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