Rhys didn’t want to go to school today.
He wanted to go swimming!
“No School!” he shouted, his words clear and audible as he desperately wanted to get his point across, “Swimming”, he added.
As we reached the bottom of the stairs, Rhys’ chanting of “No School!” continuing with every step, he approached the wall.
“School” he said, placing his finger on the chart.
“Yes Rhys, school. Then judo. Then swimming” I confirmed, touching each picture in turn, “Two sleeps”
It didn’t make him happier, but it made it clearer.
The calendar is a new addition to our home. It is a communication tool to help my son understand what is happening that day, and what is planned for the rest of the week.
Because Rhys actually likes school. He jumps in the taxi every morning and runs into the class each day. It is the understanding of what is happening that day that creates the anxiety. The fixation of an idea in his mind is what is hard to change it is what creates the tension.
This calendar is the key.
Well I sure hope it is!
The calendar we have used is available to purchase here.
To read more about the use of schedules you can read a step by step guide or explore further strategies across other pages on our site.