Football

Marching band season has begun. We want band events to be a family affair. Football games are ripe with challenges for a tween on the autism spectrum. The bleachers are hard and uncomfortable. The stands are crowded and people (strangers) are too close. The band next to us is too loud (and I forgot the ear plugs and have no idea where our noise canceling headphones are). The crowd is loud. We had a snack before we left for the away game, but not a meal. Following the game and football is not the easiest task in the world.



Add up all of the sensory overload and we have a recipe for upset and frustration that comes out as a loud, screechy, "I hate football!"

And autism, the one we know, doesn't sit and wait.

Even watching Big Sis in the band at halftime was a bit of a challenge.



Football games are not the place to bring a "to-do" bag filled with crafts and coloring books. The "to-do" bag works better at my son's baseball games, where we can spread out on a blanket on the grass.

I am on a mission to find more roles for my girl at football games. I bought a camera for her to use (she took a bunch of pictures of the opposing team's pep squad).

Today, we joined the sewing ladies to help make flags for the parents to wave during games. The sewing ladies are using leftover scraps from the color guard flags, and 'Rella and I joined them today to help. We painted. (I don't sew.)

She'll have a flag to wave.

I am still pondering roles for her at football games and band competitions and am not feeling very creative right now.

Send me some ideas. Please?!