We all want to help our children grow, learn, and thrive. Parents of children with special needs often feel under great stress to do absolutely everything they can to help their child “catch up” to their typically developing peers. This is worthwhile, as many of our children need things presented differently than their peers in order to learn and progress.
While we only want the best for our children and have the best of intentions, we can accidentally go a bit too far. We hear stories of kindergarten-aged children learning academics and receiving behavior therapy from the moment they wake up until right before bed. With only short breaks for meals, this is an incredibly intensive learning schedule that would exhaust many adults! New studies continue to emerge that suggest students—depending on their age group—are not able to study more than a few hours at a time before they suddenly absorb information at an exponentially lower rate. Be aware of these studies, but remember that children with disabilities can still have a schedule.
For those who prefer to schedule, it is essential for children with disabilities to have substantial (several hours of) down time every day, especially for younger children. Let your child choose what they want to play with and how they want to play. It may feel like they are “wasting time;” a lot is going 
on in their developing brains. They may be using that time to process what they have learned during the day. Equally importantly: they may be relaxing, enjoying down time, and doing things they find fun! It is possible that being happy and relaxed may help with learning at school the next day.
While working to help them catch up can pay off, it is equally important to balance every human’s need for down time and every child’s need for play time. Over the summer, take your child out to play for the day. Visit local parks, take hikes, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, go to a local pool, visit the ocean, the mountains… Do things that bring joy to you and to your family. During the school year, allow—or plan—for down time.
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