The announcement of school closing is thrilling for most students. That is not always the case for children with special needs.
The ice or snow covers the area. Traffic is not moving. The computer screen tells it all. School is cancelled. Today is a snow day. Parents of kids with special needs should have a winter weather plan.
A child with severe language impairment (like a young deaf child) may not understand why the schedule is different. Naturally, he sees he snow, but he is unable to understand the explanation that the bus cannot travel safely. He does not understand that everyone will stay home from school. Abruptly staying home can cause such a child to be very upset. In many instances, children with severe language delays do not want time off of school. School is the place where they are learning to make sense of the world.
A child on the autism spectrum may also be upset at the change in schedule. The uncertainty of weather and possible school closing is difficult to explain. Changes in schedule are not easy to begin with, but learning to adapt to change is definitely a part of the real world.
Talk About the Possible Closing
As soon as it looks like a bad weather closing is a possibility, begin to talk to your child. Emphasize that maybe it will snow and maybe school will be closed. Explain that you do not know. Explain that Mrs. ----- (name of teacher) does not know. Repeat with the names of the bus driver and child’s classmates. It is helpful to have pictures of your home on a snowy day to make sure that your child understands what is predicted.
Have a Child Calendar to Mark Off the Day
Using a calendar just for your child’s activities is a great way to make the closing official. Talk to your child about the closing. Shake your head no as you point to a picture of bus (or school). Let your child mark the day on the calendar as he marks other days off school. For more ideas on how to use a calendar to promote language read Developmental Calendar Skills.
Plan Some Special Activities for Snow Days
Have a special tub of fun things to do just on snow days. The tub might include movies, books, preferred snacks, and toys that are used only on bad weather days. Make sure that the tub’s activities are only used on days when the schedule changes abruptly.
Sudden changes in schedule can be difficult, but with focused effort on communication and a few treats everyone will enough the day off.
