Christmas with a SPD child

For those who are not aware ... we have two neurotypical children and two children who have Sensory Processing Disorder. Bullfrog was given the diagnosis last year and Monkey this. While the teacher refuses to put the label down on paper, we are already working with several departments to help Monkey out. I get why the teacher doesn't want it written down, and I appreciate it. However, it doesn't make our lives any easier at home.

Some of the main things we deal with include:

• Refusal to get on the bus with anyone but me (we are starting to get better - but it made hubby's life hard)
• Sleep issues (getting better - need a weighted blanket)
• Spins when overwhelmed
• Potty training (we FINALLY have the pee down ... but that was a few meltdowns in the making)
• Problems accepting new people
• Problems with accepting a change in routine
• Will play around other kids but not interact with them
• Still VERY oral sensory driven

This makes Christmas difficult. You have other kids her age so excited to meet Santa and then you have my Monkey ... who's excited but doesn't want anything to do with him up close. We had very similar issues when it came to meeting Dora.

Her version of the conversation will always go:

"I met 'x'"

"You weren't excited though."

"I was VERY excited! I met 'x'"

When in reality it was "you met 'x' but HID from him/her."

So ... on try THREE of meeting a Santa Clause, we got this (again):

She wouldn't even go up there without her brother. *Edit to this post - I didn't get a photo of this but found out my husband did!*

On another note - my neurotypical children LOVED Santa (Turtle loved the candy ... let's just get that straight)

She had shoes on ... apparently she took them off at some point in the evening.