0  | 

I found this helpful Thank You! Your vote will be tallied soon!

We've got cabin fever

Cordy's school is currently halfway through a two-week break, and I already wish for it to be over. Having two weeks off of school is a welcome event for many children, but for my preschooler, it's a major disruption to her life.

She has grown accustomed to the special needs preschool she attends five mornings a week. The routine is comforting to her, and she loves her teacher like a member of the family. I like the time with only Mira, knowing I can get more done when I only have one child with me. And I'll be honest - Cordy is a lot to handle sometimes, so I enjoy a little time apart.

At first, Cordy didn't realize that there was no school this past week. All of the Christmas celebrations started on Monday for us, and in all of the rush of getting dressed up and going to family gatherings and opening presents, she had no time to miss school. But then on Wednesday, after all of the gifts had been opened, family had left, and we were alone in our house again, the realization set in for her.

"Mommy, go school now?"

"No, Cordy, there's no school today."

"But mommy, we need to go to school now." She walked to the coat rack, lifted her backpack off the hook, and walked back to me, looking confused and sad.

"Cordy, there's no school. You're on vacation right now. That means you have two weeks to not be at school."

"Go see Miss W...!" (teacher's name omitted)

"She's not at school now, sweetie. She's also on vacation."

"She has a-potion?"

"No, Cordy, va-ca-tion. It means time away from what you usually do."

"But we have to go to school!"

We repeated much of this same conversation over and over all day long. She couldn't understand why I wasn't taking her to school, and I couldn't explain well enough why there was no school right now. She was in a grumpy mood for the rest of the day as a result. On Thursday, when I asked her to put her coat on for a trip to the grocery, she refused to go without taking her backpack. You know, just in case we happened to pass by the school on the way.

Her behavior deteriorated over the weekend. Partially related to her autism, she thrives on routine and order. The break in routine, coupled with the chaos of the holidays, has caused her to lose her feeling of trust in the predictability of the world. She doesn't know what's coming next, and that frightens her, leading to erratic behavior, mood swings, trouble sleeping, and a shift in her appetite. It feels like we're back at square one, after all of the progress we've achieved in the past four months.

I know we all need breaks and time away from our work, and while I know it's completely unfeasible, I wish there was some sort of continuation of school, even during the holidays. It hurts me to see her acting out because she misses her routine, her teacher, and her friends from school. And this is only a week - what happens during the three month long summer vacation? I guess I'd better start looking into summer preschool programs now.

Of course, someday Cordy will be a teenager, dreading the end of her summer vacation and the return to studying. It will be then that I remind her that she used to beg to go back to school while on break.

^{Disney Family does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Call your doctor regarding any medical condition. Never disregard your doctor's advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Disney Family site.}