Hit The Road Jack

  ~ Clearly Muddled Blog ~

Traveling disrupts routine, and routine is everything for someone with Autism. So, whenever it’s time for Josh to travel…even if it’s just staying the night at his sister’s house…we go down a checklist of what he’ll need, what might happen while there, and when he’ll be coming back home again. We do this religiously, before we Hit the Road Jack.

Most years, when the kids were growing up, we travelled to be with family for Christmas. We’d pack our suitcases, load the dogs and their treats, and my husband would squeeze presents in every inch of available space in the vehicle. Then, we’d head out for our eight-hour journey.  The fact that Josh and his sister, Bug, made it to their Nana’s house unscathed year after year is truly a Christmas Miracle.

The long road trips were fun, but they were also stressful, especially for Josh. While the rest of us dealt with eventually being tired of sitting in the car, he was handling his stressors: change of routine, new places, vertigo, feeling uncomfortable physically, and having to share a small space with other humans for longer that he’d like. The stack of books that he took on every trip were our friend. They were our best friend. Without fail, when the uncomfortable sensations felt overwhelming for him, opening one of those books saved him. And us!

This year a large chunk of us finally live near one another, and family members that are not close by are driving this way. Woohoo! That’s much easier for Josh to take…because when he gets tired of us, he can go into his room, close the door, and achieve his favorite – solitude. My favorite is wine.

Whatever your favorite is, I hope you get it. Merry Christmas!!!!

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Listen to the Podcast: Josh Has Autism #055: Traveling Man | http://sonyaking.com/josh-has-autism-055-traveling-man