Learning Disabilities and Holiday Road Trips

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by Merely Me
Monday, December 07, 2009

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and get a do-over? Several years ago we had a family vacation to Walt Disney World that I wished I could erase like a drawing on a magnadoodle and wipe the slate clean. That trip probably ranked up there as one of the worst experiences for my family and particularly Max, my youngest son who has learning disabilities and autism.

Well I actually had the chance for a do-over recently as we went back to the mouse world and had a fantastic time, all of us. I wanted to share my experience with you parents who have children with learning disabilities or special needs as I learned a lot from my mistakes.

During these busy holidays you may be planning trips to see relatives in far off places or even plan a winter vacation such as going to Walt Disney World. I am going to give you some tips as to how make these types of road trips more manageable for you, your child, and your family.

I will highlight my mistakes and my do-overs with our recent road trip to Walt Disney World over the Thanksgiving break.

Mistake Number One: For our first trip I didn't have enough activities planned for the long road trip so my son got bored and began to act out in the car.

Do-over: We packed snack bags for each of our boys so that we didn't have to stop for food every minute. I bought my son one of those indestructible Fisher Price DVD players. They are a bit pricey (over $150) but worth every penny in my opinion. For our first trip we had one portable DVD player for the boys to share and it dropped once and was broken. We got Max some new DVDs he had never seen before so that they would be special for the car ride. Before our trip I got a canvas bag for Max to decorate with fabric paint for his art supplies. We packed up drawing pads, crayons, stickers and markers to keep him occupied. In this bag we also brought a bunch of what I call "fidget toys" such as squishy balls, wands with floating sparkles, and a small slinky. We also brought a gameboy with games and lots of his favorite music to sing along to including Christmas carols sung by Alvin and the Chipmunks. Okay so this music isn't for everyone but my son loves those chipmunks.

Mistake Number Two: For our first vacation we stayed at a nice Disney hotel but the room was very small and there was no room for Max to decompress and just chill after a full day of fun. Everyone was stressed out by our cramped quarters and too much physical family togetherness with no space to relax.

Do-over: Whether you are staying at a hotel or at a relative's house over the holidays make sure there is enough room for your family and your child to be able to relax. For my child who has some behavioral issues it is critical to have a physical space where he can take a break and unwind. This time when we went to Walt Disney World we stayed in one of their cabins at Fort Wilderness. It was quiet and we had space to breathe. It made for a much better trip.