Whether it is stringing lights on a Christmas tree, lighting candles on a menorah, or ringing in the new year, many of us celebrate various holidays in the winter months. This typically means lots of new faces and encounters with family members that your child may not regularly see. Teaching them in advance to learn everyone’s name and face can make the holidays even more memorable. If you are interested in teaching your child extended families names ask your BCI clinician to work with you on developing a tacting family program. While you are making memories, someone will definitely be snapping photos! Or you may even have professional family photos taken during this time. Smiling for photos or following an adult’s instructions can sometimes be a skill that is difficult for our clients. Your clinician can help your learner establish these skills and generalize them to other members of the community. 

The holidays are also a wonderful time to practice social skills. Holiday parties and gatherings provide ample opportunities to address skills that can sometimes be hard to contrive in the home setting. If there is a skill that your child is still developing, ask your BCI clinician for support. Some things to consider include accepting and giving gifts appropriately, giving compliments (e.g., the dessert was really yummy), and tolerating someone else’s choice in activities. Your clinician and RBT will have wonderful ideas on how to include these skills in your current sessions or may even be able to support your family at some of these events.