We are going to Reading Festival in the morning. Already we've had meltdowns due to change of plans: my husbands car, which we were planning to take, has an oil leak and was smoking on the way home from work. We are now having to take my car, which is small and not ideal. Everyone has had to unpack and pack as least as they can so it can fit in the car, which they now have to have bags on their lap. Everyone is ofcourse a little stressed because of these changes. No one knows who they want to see, the lineup or Schedule because we haven't have chance to look yet so we have no plan.
Obviously this is torture for my eldest. Luckily she has calmed down and spoken to me about the issues which I've helped as best as I can:
1. Didn't know what to pack because outfits need to be matching, doesn't know what is Festival and weather appropriate.
2. Change of cars. I gave her 2 options: we can take my car and be squashed but we will get there OR we take the other car and if it starts smoking and we need to pull over we will need to wait hours for RAC or recovery to come? This has definitely relieved her stress realising my car is the best outcome. I also said she can still listen to her music, have Snacks and drinks with her. It's just more crammed but otherwise its the same.
3. She is worried about the queues getting really long and having to wait hours. That's the main issue. We do have a plan in place for this. Plus she's expecting a queue so it won't be a shock.
4. We will need to eat out every night but finding somewhere where all kids can eat is a struggle.
5. Worried about the weather. Will she get too hot, too cold, too wet?
6. Toilets. She has never used toilets when we are out. On holiday she may go once a day if we are lucky.
I have been teaching her about what is in and out of our control which is certainly helping. We also have no room to take sensory toys, pecs and weighted vest and blanket. I'm hoping her bag can be used as a weighted blanket as such. I think she has packed a few sensory toys. Communication will be a struggle if things get tough for her. We literally have no room in the car and pecs are important. I was wondering if anyone knows any good AAC apps for android that wr can put on her phone ready for the weekend just incase. I know she will love it. She knows this but she stresses before about everything but once she is there she will enjoy it.
