What kind of a school holiday do you call this?

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6 year old DD already getting frustrated and irritable now the excitement is over and the torpor of Twixmas is upon us. I struggle with my mental health at this time too. How are we going to make it through (happy-ish) til 8th Jan?!

Has she not got a whole load of new toys to play with? Maybe plan some activities in. Doesn’t have to be expensive days out but things like baking or arts and crafts to break up the days a bit. Weather dependent but trips to the park to let off steam too.

You get outside and go to the park or the beach or the woods the same as you do at any other time of the year.

Park, woods, beach, kids activity places

Yes and you'd think that would help wouldn't you. But she's almost frozen by too much choice. And never plays independently anyway. Some high functioning autistic traits we think and are trying to manage without going down any diagnostic route.

Come up with a plan for everyday. When mine were little we planned 1 outdoor and 1 indoor thing per day. We both needed a plan to not go stir crazy.

So for instance in the morning go for a walk to feed the ducks in the afternoon play with a particular toy they got for Christmas/build a puzzle/do some craft.

We would make the plan put it on the fridge and stick to it.

Maybe take the choice away then and set out a new toy to play with each day. My DM used to set up our farm/zoo/role play the night before so my DSis and I had something different to come down and play with. Meant toys felt fresh because we hadn’t played with them in a while.

Fab idea. She loves structure and knowing what's going to happen.

Then build a calendar of plans for her.

A lot of toys is overwhelming for almost every child. That's why early years has pre arranged things. Takes the load off choosing. Its not a trait of autism but I get your point.
As pp advised, set up a play thing each day. Don't overwhelm with choice. Write a menu for the week like she has at school and eat similar times each day. Set up a time in the day when she can choose the new toy for next day and arrange it with her before bed. Get outside as much as you can. It's a long slog to the 8th.

What is Twixmas? This is the second time (it was mentioned on River City) in as many days I have heard this word but have never heard it before - have I missed a huge memo?

My 6 year old, standing in a room full of new toys, told me “I’m bored!” Yesterday 😂

I think they struggle when it’s all out and there’s too much choose. I’ve had to be quite organised - today we do the new Lego, tomorrow we play these games etc.

If you think she has additional needs your doing no favours by ignoring it.

but what everyone else has said is key, have routine have plans and don’t overwhelm with choices.

Choose one thing a day, at an agreed time. Fresh air and exercise after being stuck inside because of the weather. Cycling, walking by the local canal on fine days. We cycle on the local common to avoid traffic.

For wet/cold days...plan a bedroom makeover - get paint charts and ask her to decide on a theme - spring flowers, fairground, seaside, underwater etc. Get her to research designs and products.

Gardening project. Choose an area to make over, or just some new pots and research bulbs & flowers, when they flower, colours etc. Or plan some veggie plants. 6 pots - maybe 3 with tomato plants, 1 with a chilli plant, two with french beans. when to plant, what they need.

Or one toy a day, and join in with her.

Teach her a new card game - crib or whist.

Choose an easy recipe and help her to make a cake.

You’re so lucky - mine goes back on 2nd Jan (been off since 15th though). I’d love another week with her.

Cinema has been a godsend for us, odeon are £5 a ticket at the moment

The second through seventh days of Christmas.

I agree with a structured plan put on the fridge.

One of the reasons we keep to the timetable as much as possible in school is because children trhive on routine and predictability. This is even more important if a child is ND.

My son is ND and this is how I approached school holidays. He needed the structure.

The second through seventh days of Christmas.

Still none the wiser

Twixmas is the shorthand term for the period of time between Christmas and New Year

It is the time betwixt and between Christmas and New Year.

Thank you!! Genuinely never heard of it until yesterday

The first day being Christmas day, so the 26th to the 31st. The eighth through twelfth days being in the new year, I don't know if they have a specific name, I just call the whole period Christmas myself.

Why would you try to manage a condition without any diagnosis. Neurotypicals never understand how difficult and exhausting it can be to be forced to fit into a NT world. A diagnosis and expert advice will give you access to coping mechanisms and strategies that will give a lifetime of benefit.

a few simple suggestions here like access to single toys or day plans made and put on a calendar at the start of the holiday - or a daily timetable that gives the day more structure are just the start of what you could be doing

If parents had to wait for a diagnosis to try to manage their child's condition they'd never support their child. What a daft thing to say. A diagnosis doesn't give a one size fits all approach anyway. To get a diagnosis you need to show what you've done and what hasn't worked too. Not every scattered or overwhelmed child is ND.

The OP literally says “ Some high functioning autistic traits we think and are trying to manage without going down any diagnostic route.” I completely understand that people may need to wait for a diagnosis or may not get one to their timeframe. But it is baffling to suspect Neurodiversity and not want to understand more about it