The last day of winter break always comes too fast.
One minute you’re enjoying slower mornings and cozy pajama days. The next, you’re staring at tomorrow’s 6:30am alarm with a knot in your stomach—because you know what’s coming.
For children with autism, the return to school after winter break isn’t just an adjustment. It’s a complete system reboot. The routines they relied on for months got paused. Their internal clocks shifted. The predictability that helped them feel safe? Gone for two weeks.
And now, in less than 24 hours, everything changes again.
If you’re reading this early in the year with growing anxiety about the transition ahead, you’re not alone. Thousands of Maryland families are feeling the exact same way right now.
The good news? You can make this transition smoother. Not perfect—but genuinely easier for both of you.
Why Winter Break Transitions Hit Differently for Children with Autism
Let’s start with what you already know in your gut: this isn’t the same as a typical Monday morning after a weekend.
Winter break lasts 8-10 days in most Maryland school districts. That’s long enough for new patterns to form—and for old routines to feel distant.
For children with autism who rely on predictability to navigate their world, two weeks is an eternity.
During break, their bodies learned a new rhythm:
- Waking up naturally instead of to an alarm
- Eating breakfast in pajamas instead of getting dressed first
- Playing freely instead of following a structured school schedule
- Going to bed later because there’s no school the next day
These weren’t just casual changes. For a child whose nervous system craves routine, these became the routine. Their brain started predicting this pattern, not the school one.
Now you’re asking them to switch back—often with less than a day’s notice.
Add in the sensory overload of returning to a busy classroom after quiet days at home, the social demands they haven’t practiced in two weeks, and the academic expectations that feel suddenly overwhelming, and you have a recipe for dysregulation.
This isn’t defiance. This isn’t them “forgetting” how to do school.
This is their nervous system struggling to recalibrate to a completely different operating system—while you’re expecting them to perform at 100% on day one.
What Maryland Parents Are Seeing Right Now (And Why It’s Completely Normal)
If your child is showing any of these behaviors as you read this, please hear us: this is expected, and you’re not doing anything wrong.
Sleep resistance: They won’t fall asleep at bedtime, even though school starts tomorrow. Their circadian rhythm shifted during break, and one early bedtime won’t fix it overnight.
Morning resistance: Tomorrow morning will likely be rough. Expect pushback at every transition—waking up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, getting in the car.
Emotional dysregulation: Tears, meltdowns, or shutdowns over things that “shouldn’t” be a big deal. Their emotional regulation skills are rusty, and their nervous system is already on edge.
Verbal refusal: “I’m not going.” “I don’t want to go back.” “School is stupid.” This is anxiety talking, not truth.
Physical complaints: Stomachaches, headaches, feeling “sick.” Sometimes these are stress-induced and very real to their body. Sometimes they’re a way to communicate overwhelm when they don’t have the words.
Increased stimming: More hand-flapping, rocking, humming, or other self-regulatory behaviors. Their body is trying to manage big feelings.
Regression in skills: Behaviors you haven’t seen in months might resurface. Accidents after being potty trained. Baby talk. Clinginess. This is temporary.
One Maryland parent we work with described it perfectly: “It’s like the first day of school all over again, except everyone else acts like it’s no big deal.”
But it is a big deal. And recognizing that is the first step in helping.
The 24-Hour Game Plan: What to Do Tonight (Even Though It Feels Late)
If school starts tomorrow and you’re just now reading this, don’t panic. There’s still time to make a difference.
Tonight: Reset the Sleep Foundation
Sleep is everything. A well-rested child has better emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, and ability to handle transitions. An exhausted child will struggle with all of it.
Start the bedtime routine 30 minutes earlier than you think you need to. If your child needs to be asleep by 8:00pm for a 6:30am wake-up, start the routine at 7:00pm—or even 6:30pm.
Their body won’t want to sleep at 8pm after two weeks of going to bed at 9:30pm. But you can help their nervous system begin to wind down.
Recreate the school night routine exactly as it was in December. Same bath time, same pajamas routine, same story sequence, same everything. The familiarity signals to their brain that “school mode” is returning.
Use a visual schedule for the bedtime routine. If you don’t have one, make a simple one tonight: brush teeth → pajamas → story → lights out. Let them check off each step. The predictability reduces anxiety.
Avoid screens for at least one hour before bed. Blue light suppresses melatonin and makes falling asleep harder. This is true for all kids, but especially important for children with autism who may already have sleep regulation challenges.
Consider a weighted blanket or compression pajamas. Deep pressure input calms the nervous system and can make sleep come easier. If your child uses these during the school year but you skipped them during break, bring them back tonight.
Don’t negotiate or introduce anything new tonight. This is not the night to try a new book, new routine, or new approach. Stick with what worked before break.
One of our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) at The Learning Tree ABA often reminds parents: “You’re not trying to get them to sleep by 8pm tonight. You’re trying to send signals to their body that the school schedule is coming back. That’s enough.”
Tomorrow Morning: Frontload Everything
Surprise is the enemy of smooth transitions for children with autism. The more you can preview, prepare, and practice, the better tomorrow will go.
Wake them up 15 minutes earlier than absolutely necessary. Rushing creates stress, and stress creates dysregulation. Give everyone breathing room.
Use a visual morning schedule. If you had one before break, bring it back out tonight and review it together. If you didn’t have one, make a simple one now:
- Wake up
- Use bathroom
- Get dressed
- Eat breakfast
- Brush teeth
- Put on shoes and coat
- Get in car
Let them see what’s coming. Let them check off each step as they complete it.
Lay out clothes tonight. Remove one decision from tomorrow morning. Better yet, let them choose tonight so they have ownership and one less thing to negotiate tomorrow.
Prepare a familiar breakfast. Tomorrow morning is not the time for new foods or adventurous eating. Serve whatever they’ll reliably eat with minimal pushback.
Preview the school day using a social story. Before bed tonight or first thing tomorrow morning, walk through what school will look like:
“Tomorrow is the first day back at school. You’ll wake up, eat breakfast, and ride in the car to school. Your teacher Mrs. Johnson will be there. You’ll see your friends. You’ll do morning work, have snack time, go to lunch, have recess, and then come home. After school, we’ll have snack together and you can tell me about your day.”
Keep it simple, concrete, and accurate. Don’t promise things you can’t control (“It will be so fun!” might not be true for them).
Validate their feelings without fixing them. If they express anxiety, don’t dismiss it:
❌ “You’ll be fine! You love school!”
✅ “I know going back feels hard. Your body got used to being home. It’s okay to feel nervous.”
Build in connection time before you leave. Five minutes of undivided attention—a hug, a game, sitting together quietly—can fill their emotional tank before a hard transition.
Plan for a calm car ride. If they have a favorite calm playlist, play it. If they need silence, honor that. Don’t use the car ride to lecture, preview, or problem-solve. Just be together.
The First Week Back: Lowering the Bar (Yes, Really)
Here’s what Maryland parents often don’t expect: the first day back might actually go okay.
It’s day two, three, and four where things fall apart.
Why? Cumulative stress.
Day one runs on adrenaline and novelty. Day two, their body realizes “oh, this is happening every day again” and the exhaustion hits. By day three or four, their regulation is completely depleted.
This means you need to lower the bar for the entire first week back—not just the first day.
After School: Expect Regression, Not Perfection
Your child will likely come home completely dysregulated after school this week.
They held it together all day in the classroom (that’s called masking, and it’s exhausting). Home is where they feel safe enough to fall apart.
Plan for a soft landing after school:
Clear the afternoon schedule. No therapy appointments, no playdates, no errands if you can possibly avoid it. If your child has ABA therapy scheduled, talk to your BCBA about whether it makes sense to continue this week or give them a few days to adjust first.
Offer sensory regulation immediately. Whatever helps them decompress—jumping on a trampoline, squeezing play-doh, hiding under a weighted blanket, watching a familiar show. This isn’t “rewarding bad behavior.” This is helping their nervous system downregulate after a stressful day.
Don’t expect homework perfection. If homework causes a meltdown this week, let it go. Email the teacher and explain your child is still adjusting. Most Maryland teachers are understanding, especially in the first week back.
Feed them something easy. Snack time isn’t the place for nutritional battles this week. Give them what they’ll eat without resistance.
Lower your expectations for behavior. If they’re more oppositional, more emotional, more prone to meltdowns—that’s the stress talking. Respond with patience, not consequences.
Protect bedtime fiercely. Even if it means skipping bath, simplifying the routine, or letting other things slide. Sleep is the foundation of everything else.
That’s not giving up. That’s priorities.
When to Bring in Professional Support
Sometimes the transition back is harder than these strategies can address alone—and that’s when having a team matters.
If you’re noticing any of these patterns, it might be time to reach out:
Sleep isn’t improving after several days. Occasional sleep disruption is normal during transitions. But if your child still can’t fall asleep or is waking frequently after 4-5 days back, their nervous system might need additional support.
Emotional dysregulation is getting worse, not better. Meltdowns should decrease as the week goes on and routine re-establishes itself. If they’re escalating, that’s a signal something needs to change.
Morning resistance is creating family stress every single day. If getting out the door is a battle that leaves everyone in tears, you need better tools—not more willpower.
Your child is regressing in skills they had mastered. Temporary regression is normal. But if skills don’t return after a week or two, professional support can help.
You’re feeling completely overwhelmed and burned out. You can’t pour from an empty cup. If you’re barely holding it together, you both need support.
This is exactly what ABA therapy is designed to address: building the skills that make transitions, routines, and daily life more manageable.
At The Learning Tree ABA, our Maryland-based BCBAs specialize in helping families navigate exactly these challenges. We work with children ages 2-21 across Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Howard County, and Carroll County—providing in-home therapy, center-based services, and school-based support.
Our approach focuses on teaching the skills that matter most: managing transitions, following routines, regulating emotions, and communicating needs. We don’t just work with your child—we work with your whole family to make daily life easier.
If winter break transitions are this hard every year, or if you’re realizing your child needs more support building these essential skills, schedule a free consultation with our team. We’ll talk about what you’re experiencing, what your child needs, and how we can help.
Maryland-Specific Resources for the Week Ahead
Montgomery County families: If your child is struggling with the transition, reach out to their school counselor or IEP team. MCPS also offers parent support through the Department of Special Education, including specific autism services and resources.
Baltimore County families: The Department of Special Education can connect you with local resources if you need additional help.
Howard County families: Their Special Education services page has helpful tools for supporting students with autism.
All Maryland families: Pathfinders for Autism is Maryland’s largest autism organization and offers free resource navigation, support groups, and family events. Their helpline is an excellent place to start if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
The Autism Society of Maryland also provides family support services, including parent training and community connections.
Looking Ahead: Building Skills for Next Time
Right now, you’re in survival mode—and that’s okay. Get through this week first.
But once things stabilize, consider this: every transition doesn’t have to be this hard.
The skills that make transitions easier can be taught:
- Flexibility when routines change
- Self-regulation when emotions are big
- Communication to express needs instead of behaviors
- Independence in morning and bedtime routines
These are exactly the kinds of skills we teach in ABA therapy—not through drills or repetition, but through Natural Environment Teaching that builds on your child’s interests and your family’s daily routines.
We also work closely with parents and caregivers to ensure skills generalize from therapy to real life. Because what happens in a therapy session doesn’t matter if it doesn’t translate to smoother mornings, easier transitions, and less family stress.
If you’d like to talk about what building these skills might look like for your family, we’re here. No pressure, no sales pitch—just a conversation about what you’re experiencing and how we might be able to help.
Reach out to our team to learn more about ABA therapy in Maryland.
You’re Doing Better Than You Think
If you made it to the end of this article, you’re already doing something right: you’re seeking information, looking for solutions, and trying to help your child.
That matters.
The fact that you’re reading this now means probably exhausted, probably anxious about tomorrow—shows how much you care.
Tomorrow might be hard. This week might be hard.
But you’re not alone in it. Thousands of Maryland families are navigating this exact same transition right now. Teachers understand. Therapists understand. Other parents understand.
And most importantly: your child will get through this. They might struggle, but they’re resilient. With your support and the strategies above, they’ll find their rhythm again.
Be patient with them. Be patient with yourself.
You’ve got this. 💙
Need support beyond this transition? The Learning Tree ABA provides compassionate, evidence-based ABA therapy for Maryland families in Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Howard County, Prince George’s County, and Carroll County. Our team specializes in helping children with autism build the skills that make daily life—including transitions—more manageable. Schedule a free consultation to learn how we can support your family.
