You did it!
Bedikas chometz is tonight… Never thought the day would come, eh?
Ready or not, those intense weeks of prep are almost behind you.
No rest for the weary, though… It’s kind of hard to sit back (lean left?) and relax when there’s a certain yummy child in the house who requires constant supervision.
Some things can’t be changed, but with some tips which we’re providing here and a dose of positivity, you can — and with Hashem’s help, will — get through the joyous and challenging days ahead.
Wishing all of you amazing families a chag kosher v’sameach!
“There’s nothing to eat in this house.”
I’ve heard that one before.
Even in a home with zero special diet requirements, come Pesach, everyone feels a little hungry. (Ha, now they see what it’s like to live gluten-free!)
Special kids often come along with special foods which they must or must not eat, and Pesach can complicate matters for many.
There are many different minhagim when it comes to food on Pesach. We don’t mess with tradition, but there are some circumstances which may call for rabbinic guidance.
If your child needs specific foods for nutritional or medical reasons, whether it means buying processed food when you usually don’t, relying on a hechsher which you would generally avoid on Pesach, or feeding your child gebrokts or kitniyos when it’s not your minhag, be sure to ask your family’s rav what to do.
You would be surprised at how many things might actually be okay for this specific child — or might not be okay, when you assumed it was!
Last-minute crises can be avoided if you make your list of shailos and get that phone call taken care of before Yom Tov.
Crunch, crunch.
Pesach has its own unique stimuli for touch, sound, sight, and taste. Be sure to acknowledge the changes to help ease your child in.
The unexpected things that throw a child off-kilter can be surprising, from the bright, reflective silver-foil covered kitchen which might be too harsh on the eyes, to the loud crunching of family members on matzah, which can echo like a heard of stampeding elephants in the ears of a sensitive child.
If your child struggles with new experiences, this is going to be no different. Prepare your child by talking, showing, and touching… And prepare yourself for possibly unpleasant reactions.
Download and print this adorable social story to help your child understand what to expect over Pesach!🔻
“We never do anything fun on Chol Hamoed.”
— Every child ever
Back in the day, there wasn’t such a pressure to “do something fun” on Chol Hamoed. But boy, do kids these days have standards!
And meeting those standards ain’t easy, especially when you have a very beloved but unpredictable child coming along in the back seat.
If you don’t love the idea of schlepping down to Hershey Park, (even with your special line-cutting abilities — credit to said child above!) a more local trip can be successful and just as much fun.
A well-planned trip to the beach or the park is great for all ages. Pack up some outdoor toys and lots of snacks (don’t forget the hard-boiled eggs and oranges) and have fun!
You can also choose to just give up on the spending-time-as-a-whole-family-together thing, and let one parent take the kids who want something more “major” out for the day while the other one stays home or plans a low-key outing with your child with special needs.
Alternatively, reach out to friends or family to see if you can send along some kids on their trip, so that your kids could feel like they “did something” and you and your beloved-but-unpredictable child can have a quieter day at home.
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