Traveling with a special child is always an adventure
I make an exaggerated big announcement every time we go on a trip. I purposely leave our suitcase half-open a few days before we travel. It is my way of telling my differently-abled child that we are going somewhere.
Even if we are headed to the same place we have visited previously, I still make it sound like an adventure we’ve never done before.
I exposed my son Fin to traveling since he was two weeks old. Our first trip was to Oslob, a town in the southern part of Cebu, which is famous for the whale sharks. That was his first taste of a road trip.
We go where the ocean calls! It’s therapeutic for him. He becomes very responsive when he’s surrounded by water, the kiss of the sun, and the sound of the waves. But don’t get me wrong. It takes serious preparation before we head to some place magical.
Before COVID-19 halted our adventures, we were always out and about. We brought him to places frequently visited by tourists like Boracay, Bohol, and Palawan to name a few.
We go where the ocean calls! It’s therapeutic for him. He becomes very responsive when he’s surrounded by water, the kiss of the sun, and the sound of the waves. It always feels like he opens his gate and we are allowed to enter his unique world. In this environment, he becomes so happy and excited—his words would come one after the other.
But don’t get me wrong. It takes serious preparation before we head to some place magical.
A few days before we leave town, I start to tell him where we are going. I try to describe the trip going there. I pay extra attention to how noisy and crowded the airport or port is. I let his imagination work by describing to him the stops we have to make like security check, luggage check-in, and even the waiting time before we finally board our flight. This, for me, is the most crucial.
An overcrowded and noisy place overwhelms Fin. He would start to whine and cry. But before it reaches that point, I distract him with some of his favorite things.
When booking flights or boat trips, I choose schedules that have fewer passengers like early flights. For boat trips, we wait near the entrance of our designated gate. This is to be sure that he won’t be overwhelmed by people rushing to the line when the boarding announcement is made.
These are little things that I gather before the trip like a set of play dough, marbles, and things that he can manipulate and spin. Anything that keeps his mind off the surrounding environment. I also make it a point to bring snacks. Hunger is a big meltdown trigger. So before it even begins, I prepare to stop it.
When booking flights or boat trips, I choose schedules that have fewer passengers like early flights. For boat trips, we wait near the entrance of our designated gate. This is to be sure that he won’t be overwhelmed by people rushing to the line when the boarding announcement is made.
The challenge is always delayed flights. But over the years, through the help of his regular occupational therapy (OT) sessions (with Niño Ybanez of Buildabilites) and special school, he has developed good behavior during waiting time.
Airplane rides are our most favorite adventure. We use his airplane toys to prepare him and somehow manage his expectation. I let him sit by the window and point out what we see before the plane takes off. I download his favorite nursery rhymes and shows to entertain him during the flight. Snacks like cookies and chips always come in handy.
Now that he is seven, trips seldom overwhelm him. He has grown accustomed to it already. But we still condition his mind and prepare for trips like how we used to. Exposing him to traveling early even with his condition has helped him enjoy the beauty of nature.
I feel that as a parent of a special-needs child, it is an opportunity that I need to give him to help him grow and experience life fully. A diagnosis should not define his experience to travel and explore the world. We shall continue to journey life, one trip at a time.
Banner photos by Mai Pages