To take my 5 year old autistic daughter to the NYE London fireworks?

[MumOfOneAllAlone]

Hi everyone

I'm posting as I need really some advice. I'm an east londoner but I've never been to the NYE fireworks.

It's just my daughter and I, and she LOVES the NYE fireworks which we watch from home.

Tickets are £20 each and are released on my payday.

She is a very sweet girl who has autism so is pre verbal. I'd take her in her buggy and would go to the accessible area. She'd have ear defenders, a big coat, blanket and her tablet.

Has anyone done this? I imagine it'd be packed but is it out of the question considering her autism? And her age?

She doesn't love crowds but will be okay in her buggy with her blanket over her head (she always does this). We could take the tube close to home and then I'd pay surge price for an uber so we don't have to walk home in the dark.

I hope I don't sound like a bad mum. She really will love the fireworks and it could be a great memory for her. But if it's gonna be too much bother, I'd keep her home.

TIA ❤️🎄

My NT son couldn’t cope with a local firework display at that age, despite being excited beforehand. Too loud, too crowded, went on too long and couldn’t easily leave.

Try a local firework display and see how she gets on with that this year. NYE in central London is like that but on steroids. What happens five minutes in when your DD wants to leave but can’t escape the noise, and can’t get out of the crowd?

There is no way you’ll get an Uber, last time I went I had to walk back to Brixton. I got home around 3am (display finished at 12:30 but there was a queue to get out of the enclosure, then battled through crowds to get home). You are in East London, how long is it going to take you to walk back there?

Transport to get out of London is a nightmare. And from low down in a buggy, she won't be able to see much. And it gets reaaaaally Smokey.

Agree 100%

As a NT child I was freezing cold, and bored stiff waiting around for hours (although we had a great view on the middle of the bridge). The wait to get off the bridge and onto the tube also took forever. The great display wasn't worth it to me and I've never gone back.

I as a parent now to a DS6 wouldn't take him. It would just be too much. I would show him last year's display earlier on in the night on the TV before he goes to bed.

If she loves fireworks maybe hold the idea in your back pocket until she's a little older/aim for a bonfire night display as others have said. That would also give you some feedback for whether she'd cope with NYE for next year.

I've no idea if it's feasible for you, but I saw a suggestion somewhere of watching them from Greenwich Park, if you really wanted to go somewhere to watch them.

Someone I knew had tickets last year and queued for hours and the gates were shut before midnight there was rubbish stewarding and policing a really dangerous crush they were young and fit but had real trouble extracting themselves and getting home. They couldn’t believe what a shambles it was.

Hey everyone - okay, literally everyone is saying not to! 😄.

I feel awful, i didn't think about what would happen if she had a meltdown. She's got high needs but is so easy going, bless her 🥺

Many of your personal experiences sound stressful, and it'll be so cold. I'd planned to get us there by 10.30 which is 90 mins of waiting around, but by the sounds of it, we'd need to be there so much earlier than that.

Okay, I'll completely ditch the idea! She is only 5 after all.

One person said to create some fun traditions at home, so I'll try that 😊. Last year we watched the jools annual hootenanny with some shloer, and then went outside, so I could try and find some other ideas to make it more magical

Thanks everyone, I needed to hear your stories as there was so much stuff I hadn't factored in

I'd love some suggestions for where to go for bonfire night, as that does sound like a good idea xx

❤️

Only you know your child, however as a non autistic adult the crowds alone would put me off. Trying to get through with a buggy will be a nightmare. What if she needs the toilet? Maybe try and take her to some local fireworks in November.

As others have said I personally think it would be too much.
Nothing to stop you working up to this as something to do together when she is older.

I generally always say go for it, and I've travelled extensively with my ND family, but even I would say that NY London is too much, more than anything because of the transport situation.

She’s very lucky to have you as her mum x

Thank you 🥺❤️ - I try, I just want to give her good memories as it's just us over Christmas xx

https://londonist.com/london/things-to-do/where-to-watch-fireworks-on-bonfire-night-in-london

On the basis that she fiesn’t live crowds, I woujdn’t go. The tubes can be really busy at normal times, and I imagine it will be hell on NYE.

As others have said, find a local display.

You have to be insane to go to London on NYE. With or without children.

Sorry, just saw your update.

Battersea Park Fireworks have the family firework display on Sunday 3rd; the fireworks start earlier than on the Saturday and you don't have to be in quite so early so there's less waiting around?

(I only know this because I'm planning on going - you can also book to watch from the glass lift at Battersea Power Station but that might just be the Saturday) 😊

Edited to add link: https://www.batterseaparkfireworks.com/family-fireworks-night

Kindly OP, why are you keeping such a young child up so late on NYE? She's too young. Children that age don't need to be 'celebrating' NYE they need to be in bed, its all a bit meaningless to them, regardless of neurodiversity etc. I don't think kids should be kept up late for NYE til they are secondary age, why bother with a younger who will just end up overtired

Thank you 🥺❤️, she's the best kid. She's currently up late watching corrie with me 😄

Autism is a spectrum, its effects people differently. ASD children should not be denied attending activities as people seem to think that NO ASD children can cope with noise, crowds etc.

You know your child.

oh gosh i wouldn't... we went last year. its was rammed, the prices for food and drink were ridiculous. you had to be in 2 hours before the show started, theres no where to sit and the place stank of weed and sick!

What about a smaller display? She may love fireworks in person but if she is in a busy city with no quick escape from crowds then if she struggles it could go downhill quickly. I’m autistic and never had an issue with fireworks so it’s not a terrible idea if she has her comfort items/ear defenders. But London is a bad idea

I wouldn’t go even as an adult as the crowds are just not for me. She might enjoy it she might not but it will be a nightmare for you if she doesn’t.

could you start a tradition with her instead? Depending on her age get some sparklers to do outside or in the garden if you have one then have a movie night with her favourite snacks or something and create a little family tradition for you both? You can watch the fireworks on the tv too

Thank you! X

Thank you - it defo would be too much 🥺, just got excited by the affordable tickets!

@MumOfOneAllAlone DD is autistic and 15 now. When she was little we would sit in bed and eat yummy treats and then she'd fall asleep and I'd wake her for the fireworks. It's one of her favourite memories and she's been staying up with me since she was about 10 and we have a board game night now with the music on in the background.

The things we remember are often the little mundane things that made us feel warm, happy and safe not the big showy things. - annoying as it is when you've spent a fortune on holidays and summer activities and when your child is asked what they did in the school holiday the say "Went to McDonalds".