Summer goes by fast, but days are very long

While I was elated when school ended last Friday and enjoy being free of the daily drives back and forth to school, summer vacation is a real hard time for us. Having days without a set schedule are not easy for Michael and most other kids and teens on the spectrum. Michael constant needs help coming up with what to do and keeping track of time. "You mean it's not time for lunch? I've been up forever and starving," he will say at 10 a.m.

I'm sure the days would be easier if I said play video games all day, but I won't. Instead, I've come up with a list of activities he can choose from and have set rules in place, such as asking before eating anything and limiting electronics time. But even with that list, he can become out of sorts about what to do. I work from home so he'll come into my office looking for something to do and someone to do it with. I get up at 4 so I can get in some work before he gets up at 6 and squeeze in work while he's occupied. I also wind up working weekends, too. But it's still a challenge being activity planner-in-chief.

In previous summers, Michael often found a willing playmate in his sister for the different games he's made up or to play Pokemon, but as she's gotten older, she's less interested. I've also hired babysitters before, but now he's 14 and Alli is 12 that just doesn't feel right. I've signed Michael up for some afternoon computer classes that give him something to do all June, but I'm not sure yet about July and August. The three of us also went through volunteer training to help out at a cat shelter this summer to give us something else to do.

As he's gotten older, Michael's interests have grown in different ways than his classmates. While video games are popular among all boys, I'm  sure not many of them are interested in Pokemon cards or Garfield books. Calls from classmates to get together are few and far between. I try to plan activities with others, but don't like to always be the initiator. 

I'm grateful Michael is active in taekwondo year round so he has something to do several nights a week. Right now, however, the days can be pretty long, but I also realize that next summer he may be taking a summer school class before his first semester of high school or perhaps have a job. I'm trying to enjoy this time and know I'm lucky to have a flexible schedule so I can still set aside fun times like taking them to the beach, but that's easier said than done.

I know summer doesn't last long, but sometimes the days sure feel like they'll never end.