For many of us, Halloween can be a mixed bag of delights and stressors. There is no other holiday quite like it when it comes to managing behavioral triggers, sensory sensitivities, food allergies, social expectations, and your garden-variety fears (arachnophobia, anyone?!). Treats aside, Halloween can be tricky for kids with disabilities. With the holiday fast approaching, we’ve rounded up some Halloween tips and tricks to manage expectations and behaviors, prepare for the “scares” beforehand, and help your family get through it and have fun — your own way!
“Halloween is a fun and out of the ordinary activity, so it can get a bit chaotic! Remember to focus on having fun and for your child to have fun as well. It does not matter if your plans don’t get to fruition as long as your child has fun. Be flexible! If you had planned the event and even rehearsed it but your child changed plans last minute, remember to stay calm and be flexible. Your kids’ fun will be your fun, in any way they choose to have it.” — Lindsay Pineda, M.A. and BCBA
While Halloween comes with its own set of traditions, they’re not requirements — you can do Halloween your way! For example: pick out costumes that feel good to them (even if it’s just a t-shirt!), have virtual Halloween fun, trick-or-treat inside the house, wear “no boo” necklaces to events, paint pumpkins instead of carving them, etc.
For more ideas & tips on creating a more accessible, sensory-friendly, and safe Halloween for our kiddos, treat yourself to our article Creating a More Inclusive Halloween Experience. We’ve collected some ideas from our private Facebook group for parents, a behaviorist, an occupational therapist, and plenty of online resources for celebrating Halloween in safe and accessible ways.
Halloween tips from Undivided Navigators
We’ve put together a video filled with tons of great tips and tricks for having a safe, accessible, and sensory-friendly Halloween with your kiddos from our very own Undivided Navigators — who are themselves parents raising kids with disabilities! Listen to their spooktacular Halloween tips on our YouTube page!
Flexible thinking for those “spooky” changes
As we quoted Lindsay Pineda above: “stay calm and be flexible.” And while she was talking to us parents, flexible thinking is also important for our kiddos. Being flexible in our thinking means that we can change our ideas — we can think of a new solution to a problem we’re having, and keep our cool when things don’t go the way we planned. And we all know the holidays are exactly when plans can go haywire. Read more on this in our Incredible Flexible Thinking Guide (for Kids!).
One Undivided member told their Navigator Beth, “I’m so grateful to you and Undivided that I have a place to turn when I’m not sure what to do next.”
For our SoCal families — fall school tours are here!
Whether your child is a few years away from the transition to elementary, middle, or high school or they’re moving on up next year, school tours (both virtual and in-person) can give you a better idea of what your options are — and a head start on applications. Here’s a roundup of upcoming school tour dates in Southern California.
For our Undivided member families
We’ve updated our list of scholarships and grants for 2023–2024! Log into the app to view funding resources for therapies and equipment with instructions for how to apply. (Not yet a member? Get started here→)
IHSS Under Age 18
If your child qualifies for In-Home Supportive Services, how do you know whether you’re making the most of those services? What do you do if IHSS denies your request for more hours? How do you get set up as your child’s paid parent provider? Did you realize you can get paid for additional trainings?!
Bring all these questions and more to our Facebook Live event on November 30, where Undivided Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck will bring her expert insight to help us get a handle on all things IHSS. Register for the event here!
Office Hours with Lisa Concoff Kronbeck — ask Lisa directly!
Lisa will also be available to answer questions about funding therapies and medical supplies through Medi-Cal, Regional Center, and more on Wednesday, November 1st, 12:00–1:00 p.m. PDT. Bi-weekly Office Hours are virtual, small group Q&A sessions with experts that are open to Undivided members only, so if you’d like to attend, sign up here to begin your free Kickstart!
Hear more Halloween tips from BCBA Lindsay Pineda in this clip! Watch on YouTube→- Have you heard about disability-friendly Halloween events happening in your area? Share with other parents in our private Facebook group→
- Looking to help your kid with sensory needs when it comes to their Halloween costume? Check out our tips on Instagram→
- We’re committed to making a difference for families raising kids with disabilities. Share about us on LinkedIn→
- Need a solution, step-by-step instructions, and an empathetic ear? Undivided is here for you. Start here→
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This newsletter was originally sent to our subscribers on 10/26/23. Subscribe to our newsletter to get more resources like this in your inbox, or check out our full library of articles, templates, and videos at undivided.io/resources.
