In the summer, your child is in far more hands than during the school year. There's the week with the grandparents, the mornings at camp, the afternoons with the babysitter, the cousin who looks after him for a while. And although you're deeply grateful for the help, one worry never goes away:
"He does whatever he wants with his grandparents," "they don't know what he's like at camp," "everyone handles it differently"... and I feel like everything that took so much effort to build is falling apart.
It's one of the most tiring things in summer. And there's a solution, although not the one you might think.
The goal is not perfection: it's consistency
First, let go of unrealistic expectations: you're not going to get the grandparents, the caregiver, and the camp to do things exactly the way you do. And that's okay. Your child doesn't need everyone to be a therapist. What they need is for everyone to be on the same page when it comes to what's important.
When the adults in your child's life maintain a few common guidelines—how to ask them to do something, how to prepare them for a change, what to do when they become overwhelmed—your child finds a predictable world, even if it changes hands. Consistency in what's essential is far more important than perfection in everything.
Your best tool: "my son's manual"
Instead of explaining a thousand things verbally (which get forgotten and interpreted differently by everyone), prepare a single sheet of paper that you can give to anyone who will be taking care of him. Simple, clear, and without technical jargon. Something like this:
- How he/she communicates: what words, signs or gestures he/she uses, and what they mean.
- What calms him: his song, his object, his corner, whatever brings him peace.
- What overwhelms him: noises, rushing, changes without warning, certain textures or foods.
- What to do if it gets out of hand: reduce stimulation, don't insist, give it time. (It's not about rewarding: it's about moderation.)
- Three golden rules: the three things you truly care about being respected. Just three.
A single sheet of paper that anyone can read in five minutes does more for coherence than a hundred separate warnings.
If you choose camping: what to ask beforehand
Not all campsites are suitable, and a poor fit is immediately noticeable. Before signing it, ask:
- What is the monitor-to-child ratio ? The smaller the group, the better.
- Do you have experience with children with support needs? How do you manage it?
- Is there a predictable structure to the day or is everything improvised?
- Is there a quiet space I can retreat to if I get overwhelmed?
- Are you willing to read your sheet and apply a couple of guidelines?
And prepare your child as you would prepare for a trip: by showing them pictures of where they are going, who will be there, and what they will do. The familiar is less frightening.
The thread that unites everyone
Here's the piece that brings the most peace of mind. When there's a common tool that everyone can use—grandparents, the caregiver, you—consistency no longer depends on each person's memory.
The VICON Method works exactly like that guiding thread. It's the same short time each day, the same songs, the same structure , regardless of who's leading it, and it can be accessed from any mobile phone or tablet without anyone needing any therapy experience. Grandparents can play "the VICON song" after lunch just like you would. So, no matter how many hands your child has this summer, their language development follows the same path.
👉 Give everyone who cares for your child the same tool: try the VICON Method free for one week → https://www.metodovicon.com/login#registro
Ask for help without guilt. With a few common guidelines and a common thread that unites you all, you can all get through the summer together, and your child will continue to progress.
