It was a nightmare taking Connor anywhere. When he was an infant, we’d cover his pumpkin seat with a light blanket, much like a canary in a cage, as a barrier to sensory overload whenever we visited Wal-Mart or the grocery store. As a toddler and through pre-school, Connor would often refuse to get out of the car when we went to the zoo or to a children’s museum. And movies…Connor couldn’t sit through previews until he was five! So much money and time were wasted, and yet…he took his first plane ride when he was only three and half years old. The only thing we can advise is to keep trying! Here are a few things that have worked to get us out of the house (and away from the Wii):
1. Family bike rides. If a child hasn’t yet learned how to ride a bicycle, try renting a tandem attachment. The tandem contains a third wheel that attaches to the back of an adult bike. Handlebars and pedals provide stability.
2. Movies. Request your local theater to host a sensory-friendly screening one day per month. Ask the theater to provide up-lighting, minimal or no previews and lower sound volume. When the child gets better acclimated to the theater environment, let him or her bring a friend.
3. Travel. Prepare for the trip with an online preview of the sights he or she will see while on the trip. Also provide a visual schedule of the transitions, such as driving to the airport, riding the shuttle to the terminal, passing through security, boarding the plane, getting a rental car and driving to the hotel. Bring a portable DVD player for plane and road trips. If traveling for more than one day, take it easy by staying in and ordering room service the first night.
4. Nature hikes. Look for good weather – not overly hot, humid or cold. Think up educational ideas, such as finding fossils or devising a treasure hunt for colorful and/or textured items.
5. Field Trips. Visit a non-children’s museum on a weekday when there are fewer crowds. Art, science, history and technology museums provide fun and/or beautiful things to view without all of the overly-bright and distracting gizmos found in the children’s wings.
6. Swim, but at a private pool, not a crowded, kid-filled one. Some hotels offer day rates to use their indoor pool facilities in the fall and winter.
What can parents do to help their children achieve success in a neurotypical world? I asked parents wherever I could find them – in development center waiting rooms, at school events and on social networking sites – about what they considered to be the most important traits to cultivate in children with autism spectrum disorders. And I’ve heard wonderful stories! Young adults with autism are completing advanced placement courses in high school, are attending college and/or are contributing to their communities by participating in theater, art, music, charities, politics and sports. One mom says that her son’s former areas of weakness – language and social skills- have become his biggest strengths. 
