NAVIGATING SOCIAL OUTINGS WITH BUILT-IN LIFE SKILLS
BY STEPHANIE DELUSSEY
Social outings are an almost everyday experience for many families, like going to the grocery store, the local library, or a department store. For families with special needs, there often needs to be a little more preparation to make the outing smooth and potentially less stressful.
Experiencing life together as a family has so many benefits, like promoting family bonding and creating memories, social awareness and experiencing the outside world, improving one's sense of self, and encouraging independence, self-advocacy, and responsibilities.
"The best memories are the ones we make together." But every family and individual's needs are different. There are so many variables that come into play when planning a social outing or trip with your child with special needs. And even though a social outing is very different logistically than a planned trip or vacation, there are some commonalities.
One huge piece of planning a social outing is the pre-planning, but another piece of the planning is the answer to this question: "How will my disabled child be independent and self-advocate for him- or herself during this outing?"
Here are a few accommodations and modifications to keep in mind that may be very helpful in not only navigating any social outing, but also in assisting your child in increased independence and self-advocacy:
- Visual schedules
- First, Then boards
- Offering multiple choices
- Social narratives/stories
Once you have one or two of the above supplies prepped and ready to go for your next outing and adventure, it’s time to start thinking about and planning for all of the other details.
Here are four ways to prepare your family for a social outing:
1. CALL AHEAD OF TIME
If it's a big vacation or a big pre-planned trip, call the place where you are going or staying ahead of time to ask about disability accommodations and modifications they provide. Large theme parks also provide exemptions for individuals with disabilities.
Markeisha from @funtherapytravel suggests asking the five following questions to prepare your family for traveling:
- What accommodations do you offer?
- What does the check-in process look like?
- Are there days/times that are less crowded?
- What dietary accommodations can be made?
- Is the kids' club trained to work with my child?
AWAY WE GO: No matter where your next adventure takes you, a little bit of pre-planning can go a long way.