Purim - tips to avoid sensory overload and stress for child

amother

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 2:53 pm

Here we go again, purim and the sensory overload that goes with it.
Here we have a day mid-week to throw our kids off the routine

Holiday Concerns
> Loud shul service with lots of noise and distractions
> Candy/Sugar is received and child will eat some of it
> Costumes on self/family - uncomfortable or disorienting

Change in Routine Concerns
> Off usual day routine
> No School
> Seeing family friends = over-stimulation
> long tiring day with lots of activity

I'm worried this is a perfect mix of a very stressful day for my sweet child.
Tips would be appreciated to help my child enjoy Purim without feeling over welmed.

One idea I had is to split up the selach manos delivery into 2 parts, one after megillah reading --> then head home for quiet time --> then go out again for 2nd shift around sedudah time.

amother

Indigo

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 3:01 pm

One parent can take the child home in middle while the other parent continues the rounds. Kids in my family get to choose if they want to attend megillah.

lilies

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 3:01 pm

Megillah leining at home
Comfortable clothes under costume so costume can be discarded midday
Breakfast, lunch, supervised eating
Twice 'Purim recess' - quiet room, relaxing play for half hour

Keep your hair on!

amother

Seafoam

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 3:04 pm

We're taking it slow. Whatever the kid wants to do or not do we'll do

He's not wearing a costume

I'm not taking him to megillah

Wherever we'll be if I see him getting anxious or agitated we will leave no matter what.

amother

Maroon

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 3:13 pm

amother [ Seafoam ] wrote:

I think I will follow this tip.
bh my daughter loves her costume so far!!! so thats a good start!

amother

Bronze

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 3:48 pm

the young isreal of scarsdale does not permit kids to come to shul because of caronavirus
some shuls canceled magillah reading and events because of this

amother

Aqua

Mon, Mar 09 2020, 5:34 pm

Last year, she did not wear a costume (got so many qs about this, give the kid a break!). She did not go to megillah, a family member watched her after their minyan so I can go to a late reading. We took her on some rounds, fed her and napped her, and went to a more relaxed seudah for an hour or so till it was getting much and went home.
This year she's in a Jewish school. She's very excited about having a costume, she already wore it to school and it came off, so great tip to take comfy clothes along to switch into. She wants to go to shul (dont know where she heard about it, still unsure if I can attempt taking her). Her Morah invited her for an hour, so that will be her "rounds". Seudah we're going to will be loud but I arranged with host that I can bring a small toy for her to play in a side room. Fingers crossed!
Oh and I also didn't match our mishloach manos to her costume this year, in anticipation that she may or may not wear it.