Tonight's post is the second in a four part series that is originally from the Practical Parenting Tips section of the article that I wrote for an online parenting community a few years ago. The acronym for this particular post is SOAR. You most likely recognize Woody and Buzz Lightyear, the heroes from the Toy Story movie series, pictured on the left soaring through the sky and high above everything to get back to their owner Andy.
As everyday superheroes, we find various ways to rise above the obstacles that we encounter throughout our daily routine. What might work for us in one situation will not always work for us in another; incentives and consequences alike. As parents, we have to be extraordinarily creative to stay one step ahead of what we might encounter at any given moment!
You need to Search for signs of non-verbal communication that your child may be using to tell you how he or she feels. Watching your child's facial expressions, listening to the particular sounds he or she makes, and how he or she uses hand signals when tired, hungry, or frustrated will help you recognize when your child is communicating his or her needs. Your child can tell you what he or she wants or needs without saying it in words. Pay attention and you will learn to pick up on your child's non-verbal signals.
You should watch to Observe the reason behind the behavior that you want your child to stop displaying when not getting his or her way. When your child gets upset or begins to act out, it could be because he or she has been feeling misunderstood or ignored. Is acting out your child's way of trying to get your attention? Consider that your child could be frustrated with you because you are not picking up on their non-verbal signals.
It is YOUR responsibility to Arrange fun and simple playtime for your child. Autism is a diagnosis and just part of who your child is. Remember that your child is still a kid. Everyone needs to take some time off from school, therapy, and even work! Play is a very important part of being able to cope with our daily schedules. Choose ways to have fun together with activities that you both enjoy. Spending stress-free time with your child will be a beneficial part in learning to relax and enjoy each other's company whenever possible.
You should use a journal to help you Record and Remember all possible triggers in your child's behavior. Many things can serve as triggers to a child with autism. Children with autism can have hypersensitivity or the opposite - hyposensitivity to certain sights, sounds, smells, movements and things that they come in contact with. The same stimulus can lead to positive behavior in some children and trigger disruptive behavior in others. It is our responsibility to understand what affects our children, give them a sense of security, and prevent the undesirable situations we can avoid.
I hope that you will now be able to use your superpowers to help your child to learn to regulate his or her superpowers. You can access the full article Autism "How-To" Guide For Parents if you would like to read more! If you enjoyed reading this post, please #share it in support of #AutismAwarenessMonth. Thank you for your time and continued support of my efforts to raise #AutismAwareness throughout the entire year, not just in April!!
As everyday superheroes, we find various ways to rise above the obstacles that we encounter throughout our daily routine. What might work for us in one situation will not always work for us in another; incentives and consequences alike. As parents, we have to be extraordinarily creative to stay one step ahead of what we might encounter at any given moment!
You need to Search for signs of non-verbal communication that your child may be using to tell you how he or she feels. Watching your child's facial expressions, listening to the particular sounds he or she makes, and how he or she uses hand signals when tired, hungry, or frustrated will help you recognize when your child is communicating his or her needs. Your child can tell you what he or she wants or needs without saying it in words. Pay attention and you will learn to pick up on your child's non-verbal signals.
You should watch to Observe the reason behind the behavior that you want your child to stop displaying when not getting his or her way. When your child gets upset or begins to act out, it could be because he or she has been feeling misunderstood or ignored. Is acting out your child's way of trying to get your attention? Consider that your child could be frustrated with you because you are not picking up on their non-verbal signals.
It is YOUR responsibility to Arrange fun and simple playtime for your child. Autism is a diagnosis and just part of who your child is. Remember that your child is still a kid. Everyone needs to take some time off from school, therapy, and even work! Play is a very important part of being able to cope with our daily schedules. Choose ways to have fun together with activities that you both enjoy. Spending stress-free time with your child will be a beneficial part in learning to relax and enjoy each other's company whenever possible.
You should use a journal to help you Record and Remember all possible triggers in your child's behavior. Many things can serve as triggers to a child with autism. Children with autism can have hypersensitivity or the opposite - hyposensitivity to certain sights, sounds, smells, movements and things that they come in contact with. The same stimulus can lead to positive behavior in some children and trigger disruptive behavior in others. It is our responsibility to understand what affects our children, give them a sense of security, and prevent the undesirable situations we can avoid.
I hope that you will now be able to use your superpowers to help your child to learn to regulate his or her superpowers. You can access the full article Autism "How-To" Guide For Parents if you would like to read more! If you enjoyed reading this post, please #share it in support of #AutismAwarenessMonth. Thank you for your time and continued support of my efforts to raise #AutismAwareness throughout the entire year, not just in April!!
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