The holiday season can be difficult for parents of children with special needs. But it doesn’t have to be.

Between dressing up for Halloween, changing clocks back for Daylight Savings Time, partying over turkey on Thanksgiving and wrapping presents, there is no shortage of big doings in the holiday season. Many parents and children embrace these events with gusto, but for parents of children with special needs, the happenings can create significant disruption and spark some serious trouble.

“Around here we usually hold our breath in October and don’t exhale until January,” says Barbara Street, a  parent of one special needs child, 10, and two neurotypical kids, 7 and 5, respectively. “If it’s not one thing at this time of year, it’s most definitely another.”

Street is not the only parent grappling with what she’s labeled “Holiday Frenzy.” All over the country, other parents of children with special needs find themselves in the same difficult situations.

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We’ve consulted our experts to provide this closer look at some of the biggest challenges with some suggestions on what you can do to make the season a little easier for everybody involved.

Remember, every child is different, and there is no flow chart for how this works.

The overarching goal: Be flexible, and remember that no tradition is more important than the comfort and happiness of your kids.