Here Comes Santa Claus

Pervasive Parenting By Kodey Toney Here Comes Santa Claus

It's that time of year again; time for Yule tide and cheer, but for some families with children on the spectrum the holiday season can be overwhelming. The long lines at stores to get a couple seconds with Santa that may or may not work out can be frustrating for a child with autism. For a small group of families there is an alternative to those lines and hotbeds for meltdowns. The Parents of Autism group is holding the Third Annual Sensitive Santa. This event is a great way for children with disabilities and sensory issues to enjoy the holiday season.

Any parent of a child on the spectrum knows that waiting in those long lines is just an invitation to a meltdown. The sights, smells, and long delay can cause a sensory overload that will leave a bad impression of Christmas. Children with disabilities who attend can enjoy a quiet evening with Santa, and don’t have to wait in lines.

Sensitive Santa is soft spoken, unlike the boisterous, jolly soul that we see at the mall. The stereotypical reproduction of the real man from the north is usually too much for a neurotypical child to handle, much less someone who is upset by loud sounds. He won’t touch the children unless they come up to him. They don’t have to sit in his lap unless they want to.

The children are treated to milk and cookies while they wait, and someone is on hand to read a book as well. This gives them something to do instead of standing around in a long line.

Parents can arrange for Santa to have a present ahead of time so that he could pull it out of his bag when you get there.

Sensitive Santa is open to ALL children with disabilities, not just those on the spectrum. We understand that not all children will feel comfortable around huge crowds, and it’s inconvenient to wait in line with any type of disability.

The Sensitive Santa will be held at the Community State Bank Thursday Dec. 6th at 6:00 p.m.

The only thing we ask is that this is for just the children with disabilities; no siblings. Too many children can mean too many distractions.

If you want more information, or have a child that is planning to attend, please contact me at pervasiveparenting@hotmail.com, or contact us on facebook at either the Parents of Autism page or Pervasive Parenting.