Christmas Can Be Different For Neurodivergent Families, And That's OK |
Paige Cody on Unsplash" />Boy and girl decorating Christmas tree.
While there is a lot of magic to be found at Christmas, especially with cosy gatherings and taking the time to exhale after a busy, perhaps difficult, year, for some families it isn’t quite so simple.
This is because beneath the bright, twinkling lights and long, busy meals, for some families, there is a deep feeling of overwhelm. The ‘fun’ and ‘excitement’ we associate with the season feels more iike overstimulation and dysregulation.
I know for myself, I have dreaded Christmases past because I desperately missed the comfort of routine.
However, just because the traditional ideas of Christmas don’t work for people who live with autism and ADHD, doesn’t mean we don’t get to celebrate it in a way that works for families like us.
In fact, Clinical psychologist Dr Selina Warlow, from The Nook Clinic, says: “amilies are increasingly stepping away from “the perfect Christmas” and creating alternative traditions that prioritise comfort, connection and emotional safety.
“Many of the traditional rituals clash with neurodivergent needs,” she explains.
“Bright lights, long........