17/10/2025
For many neurodivergent kids, the lead-up to something exciting or unfamiliar can actually be harder than the event itself.
Their minds and bodies start prepping early: holding tension, replaying “what ifs,” and rehearsing every possible version of what might happen.
So when you see forgetfulness, clinginess, meltdowns, or resistance in the days before remember it’s their nervous system working overtime to manage anticipation: 💭 Anticipatory overload.
Help them by grounding them in the present:
🗓 visual countdowns
🎵 predictable rhythms
💛 calm connection
Because sometimes the hardest part isn’t the big day itself, it’s the waiting…
