Vacation Planning Tips To Include A Child With Autism

A family vacation should be relaxing and fun.   It should be an opportunity for family members to connect and enjoy each others company.   All too often, a family with a child with autism finds taking a family vacation too stressful.   More and more, family vacations are vacations for everyone except the child with autism.   I am the mother of two children.   My daughter is five and a half.   My son is ten.   My son is also nonverbal with a diagnosis of severe autism.   This does not stop us from taking vacations together.   I have found that, with well thought out planning, we have a terrific time together on family vacations. The first thing parents need to do when planning a vacation is determining the destination.   For all families, this means concentrating on family friendly, children friendly destinations.   It is the same for a family with a child diagnosed with autism.   You need to determine what your child’s interests are and what kind of places bring your child the most joy.   If you have more than one child, choose the interests that they share.   Once you have determined one or two common interests, you are ready to select a destination. Your next step is to determine how far you wish to travel to your vacation destination and whether or not you will drive or take a plane.   I recommend driving.   Once you are on a plane, you can not get off until the plane lands and is ready to disembark.   Children that are confined for a long period of time in a closed in environment, get bored, irritable, and may become unmanageable, depending on their age.   A child with autism is most likely to feel all those things and more.  Depending on your child, you could be looking at a full blown meltdown. You want a vacation that is low in stress.   There is no such thing as a completely stress free vacation for any family.   If you expect one, you will be disappointed.   The key is to accept this fact and to minimize the opportunities for stress.   Driving to your vacation destination allows the parent control over their environment that riding on a plane does not.   You can stop at any time and allow your child to get out and stretch his/her legs.   There are a lot of rest areas on Highways that have picnic areas.   These are perfect for giving your child an opportunity to run off excess energy and for everyone to eat and grab a drink. Now that you know how far you want to go for your vacation, whether to drive or take a plane, and what kind of vacation destination will interest your child, you are ready to pick a destination.   The internet is a great resource to start with.   You can search on your area of interest.   If you are looking at a vacation that includes a theme park, contact the theme park guest relations and ask them their specific policies for children with Autism.   Theme Parks may not post on their site their specific policies, but do have one in place to accommodate a family with a child diagnosed with Autism.   One of the common accommodations is to allow Front of the Line Passes for our families.   In order to get one, they usually require a letter of diagnosis from your child’s doctor. Below is a list of Autism friendly vacation destinations.   For more specific information about each, please refer to my Autism Friendly Vacation Destinations  post on my blog. 1. Sesame Place, located near Philadelphia in Langhorne, PA, only 90 minutes south of Manhattan. 2. Challenge Aspen in Snowmass, Colorado 3. Disney World 4. Busch Gardens 5. Sea World 6. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana . 7. Vacation Home Rentals 8. Smugglers’ Notch Resort in northern Vermont. 9. Surfer’s Healing Based in San Diego, 2009 camps will be held in California (several locations); Virginia Beach, VA; Wrightsville Beach, NC; Belmar, NJ; Montauk, NY. 10. Autism on the Seas 11. Leaps. . . n. . . Boundz – ” ‘Community Adventure Weekends’ 12. “Finger Lakes Wellness Center and Health Spa (in conjunction with Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort)13. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, FL. Another important consideration when planning your vacation should be where you are planning to stay.   You can stay at a hotel or rent a vacation home or condo.   I prefer renting a suite at a hotel that has a kitchenette and separate bedroom for the adults.   It costs a little more, but it allows me to fix meals for my picky eater and a separate bedroom allows me a place to go when I need time for myself.    Now you can plan a great vacation for your family.   I would like to finish this article with a few final suggestions to help you.   1. Pack some favorite items/toys for your child 2. When traveling by car, take a lot of breaks. Make use of the Rest Areas along the Highway. 3. Prepare your child for your vacation. Talk about it and show pictures of your destination to your child. 4. Make sure you have a letter of diagnosis from your doctor. Also make sure you have all emergency medical information packed. If you have medicines, make sure you have enough for the whole trip. 5. If you use a schedule at home with your child, make one for the trip. 6. Pay attention to the cues your child has for alerting you how he/she is feeling. It is always better if you can head off a meltdown before it starts. This is not always possible, but just one less is a good thing.

Tags: bucks county, bucks county pa, pennsylvania, antique shopping, sesame place, new hope, washington crossing, wineries, doylestown, crayola factory

Winter Vacation

There are such a lot of places around America and the world where you can take the whole family for a unusual time. It is best to ensure that each member finds the experience fulfilling, as well as instructional. Your goal is to deepen your ties with each other, so make sure you understand the rules of making the trip convenient and problem-free. Come visit us right here for more Winter Vacation and Winter Snow Vacation Info Winter Family Vacation. http://wintervacationinformation. com/blog. Try taking your family to Philadelphia and experience Sesame Street. Sesame Place is one of the must-visit areas where both adults and children can have a fun time with their fave Sesame Street characters. Your youngsters can have a very tutorial time with numbers and letters, followed by a tour around the city on a double decker bus. The ride is named Ride the Ducks. Theme parks are among the best places for the whole family. San Diego features a very warm atmosphere and impressive beaches most times of the year. There are several attractions unlike anywhere else in America such as Legoland, San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld. It’s best to go in the summer or winter. You may play a variety of sports thanks to the bright weather, like golf, baseball, fishing and swimming. You can enjoy different rides, shows and great food with the whole clan. Spend three to ten days and go through many preferred visitor attractions that will bring you right back to your youth days. South Dakota could be most popular for its landmark, Mount Rushmore. Families can enjoy the history of the Great Plains at different state parks and memorials. Both youngsters and adults can go to the several hiking trails, caves and canyons that run across the area. Black Hills is an area in South Dakota, featuring five memorials and national parks. Come visit us right here for more Winter Vacation and Winter Snow Vacation Info Winter Family Vacation. http://wintervacationinformation. com/blog.

Tags: wineries, doylestown, bucks county pa, washington crossing, crayola factory, restaurants, new hope, hotels, history, antique shopping

toddler vacation, toddlers activity

Upon having a child, your entire vacation plans are immediately altered.   At first, it is difficult to go on any kind of vacation with a newborn.   Once they graduate to being a toddler, you can take them to some great vacation spots.   Here are some recommendations. One of the best places you can take a toddler for vacation is Sesame Place.   This is an especially good place if your child is familiar with Sesame Street and all of the characters.   Your toddler will certainly be excited to see all of the characters like Elmo and Big Bird.   Sesame Place is a one day adventure but there are also zoos and others parks nearby.   Sesame Place is located in Langhorne, PA.   The park is open daily until 8 p. m. Theme parks are a great idea for a vacation with your toddler.   When choosing a destination, Orlando, Florida should be at the top of your list.   The resorts that the theme parks are located on really cater to families.   They offer amenities such as baby changing stations and stroller rentals.   They also offer food prepared specifically for children of all ages. One idea you might not have thought of is going to an all-inclusive resort.   It is becoming more and more common for the resorts to provide 24-hour nurseries.   Even if you only use them for a small amount of time a day or during their nap, it is still a much needed break for you and a small amount of time to relax.   Another accomodating feature is that many rooms offer 24 hours room service and a mini-fridge.   While not the most cost-efficient options, both of these provide a great level of convenience when needed. Some find it beneficial to travel leisurely when taking a toddler on vacation.   A benefit of it is, there is no fear in anticipation of getting on the plane.   Also, is is very likely that your child will take a nap during the ride.   It is advised to travel in the evening so it is more likely your toddler will become tired during the drive so they can sleep for thee majority of it.  When travelling with a toddler, it is a good idea to plan many stops along the way.   This is so you can get out, walk around, grab some refreshments, change diapers, etc.   It is important to not get in a hurry while travelling, because there is going to be a lot of stress trying to rush a toddler.   It is a predicament that can be avoided by allowing extra time to travel. Also, it is important to try to maintain the same routine that you keep your toddler on while at home. If your toddler is used to taking a nap at 2 p. m. then do everything you can to maintain this.   Doing this will keep your child comfortable and allow him or her to stay in a comfort zone. Travelling with a toddler can be a difficult time for scheduling fanatics. Do your best to try to keep it loose.   Plan plenty of time between activities.   Most of all, don’t forget about yourself.   Try to find things that you and your toddler can enjoy, such as the examples I listed above.   They are fun for the toddler as well as fun for you.

Tags: new hope, antique shopping, hotels, restaurants, peddlers village, washington crossing, pennsbury manor, bucks county, pennsylvania, doylestown

Episode 4 GW ’08 Campaign Trail, Day 12 – Bucks County, PA

George mistakes a Bucks County Visitors Guide for an intelligence report and sets off on his own. Rumors fly that GW has joined a motorcycle club. Martha puts out an all-points bulletin for information on George’s whereabouts as he loses himself in Bucks County. www.gwforpresident.com

Episode 2 GW ’08 Campaign Trail, Day 2 – Bucks County, PA

George’s better half, Martha, in an attempt to mold the candidate’s public image, recruits a press secretary, Amy Taylor-Spinner, with a résumé that can’t hold a candle to her libido, and a campaign manager, Earl Grove, who is baffled by his boss’s wig-centric platform. www.gwforpresident.com

Beneath the Wig: Behind the Scenes with George & Martha in Bucks County, PA

Take a behind the scenes look at the making of GW ’08. You’ll be shocked to see what secrets lay under those wigs. www.gwforpresident.com

Episode 3 GW ’08 Campaign Trail, Day 6 – Bucks County, PA

The revolutionary band of campaigners tour Bucks County to post signs — GW ’08 I was here first — and strategize. Amy puts the moves on George while Earl tries to temper GW’s tendency to brandish his sword or pull his musket at the drop of a hat. A round of beers at a local tavern chills George out. www.gwforpresident.com

Vacation Video, Day 3

Day 3 of our vacation. Crayola Factory in Easton, PA. … vacation crayola factory

Episode 1 GW ’08 Campaign Trail, Day 1 – Bucks County, PA

A home video of a family trip to an historic park reveals a famous figure returned to throw his tricorn hat in the presidential ring. GW, the ultimate statesman, unburdened by facts and reality, has returned with a new direction, one he can’t seem to even get his horse to follow. www.gwforpresident.com

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