How can I help prepare DS1

[notfromaroundhere]

Bit of background: DS1 3.4 (dx asd) is at preschool 2 mornings a week. Until this week he has always gone happily, played happily and normally had to be dragged out to come home again, apart from when I had to go away and DP took him he cried when DP left. This week he starting crying really hard towards the end of the session on Wednesday and sobbed on and off today. He goes to a development nursery on Tues and Thurs and there's been no problems there.

For the next 10 weeks, one of DP's parents will be dropping him off on the Wednesday session. DP and I are going on a parenting course and are taking DS2 with us to go in the creche as I thought this would be better for him to be at preschool rather than adding another venue into the mix. We have to leave an hour before DS1's preschool is open.

I think he will be confused by his grandparent taking him to preschool as he normally sees them to play with IYKWIM. I want to try and prepare him for this but I don't know how to go about it. His understanding is hard to guage and he will sometimes appear to have understood but in actually fact he hasn't at all.

I wouldn't normally sweat it but it will take us an hour to go and collect him if preschool were to call us.

Anyone have any ideas?

Could you maybe get your IL's to come with you for the next drop off, so your ds can relate to them doing it at least once before they have to do it themselves?
Or if not, what about a visual timetable/aid to help explain it to him?

I agree with 5inthebed's thoughts about a visual timetable. If you are able to make pictures of what will happen for that day and who will take him, it might be a lot easier to understand than wording.

Thanks for your replies. How would I go about making the timetable so he understands? I've got photo's of the preschool (and him and his granparents) but I'm not sure how to compile it so he follows what is happening, rather than just commenting on the photo's. I suppose I should try something over the weekend to see if he gets the concept.

Just put the pictures into the correct order, ie, ds1, grandparents, car/bus, school. Then explain in plain simple words what is happening. Something along the lines of "Ds1, with nanna/grandad, in car, nursery" The plainer the more easier to understand.

Good luck and enjoy your course.

Thanks for that, I think I am at the opposite end to being a viusal learner. I should really get DP to do this kind of thing he is always drawing me maps and diagrams to explain things!