Like every parent, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about your child’s future. What kind of person will my child be? Will my child be happy? These questions weigh even heavier if your child suffers from a disease like autism.
To make sure your child’s future is bright, aside from proper medical care like autism therapy Michigan is renowned for, there are some simple daily things that can make a difference. They include:
Focusing on the Positive:
Just like everyone, children with autism usually respond best to positive reinforcement. This means that you should praise your child for good behavior to make him/her feel good and encourage him/her to repeat that behavior. You need to be specific about the behavior you are reinforcing.
Find ways to reward your child: small prize stickers and extra playtime are excellent rewards for good behavior. As with everyone else, you should reward your child according to who his/her personality. As a parent, showing your children that you love them as they are matters.
Stay on Schedule:
People who are on the autism spectrum do well with schedules and routines. You should make sure that your child gets consistent interaction and guidance so that he/she can practice everything learnt in therapy. Routines can make it easier for your child to learn new behaviors and skills and apply that knowledge in different situations.
You also need to talk to his/her therapists and teachers to align a regular set of methods and techniques of interaction. Doing so will make your child comfortable around therapists and teachers enabling him/her to acquire new skills more quickly.
Give it Time:
You will definitely try many techniques and treatments before you figure out what works best for your child. You need to exercise patience and stay positive no matter how many of these approaches fail. If your child does not respond well to a certain treatment, don’t get discouraged – you need to remain optimistic for the sake of your child.
Schedule Playtime:
Make sure to plan fun activities for your child. This might help him/her to open up and feel more connected with you. By seeing your little one smile will surely make you smile and what’s better the sound of a giggling home?
However, before you decide on the activities, make sure that your child likes them first. Otherwise, the giggling noise might turn into a crying noise.
Take Your Child on Daily Activities:
If your child behaves unpredictably, you might find it a lot easier to keep him/her in a safe zone and not expose him/her to certain situations. However, you need to know that taking your child on daily errands such as post office runs and grocery shopping is beneficial. This helps the child get used to the daily happenings of the world.
Get Support:
Whether you opt for family, online, or face-to-face support, you need friends to who understand what being a parent to an autistic child is like. If you want to share tips and advice with your peers, you should join support groups, where you can meet other parents who are facing similar challenges. Family, marital, and individual counseling can also be helpful. Your child will benefit from that greatly because you’ll be more equipped to dealing with the daily challenges.
Just think about what will make your life much easier and do it. You can attend these meetings when your child is in therapy.
Become an Expert:
You need to figure out what triggers your child’s disruptive and challenging behaviors. What elicits a positive response from him/her? You also need to know everything that calms, stresses or frightens your child. If you have a thorough understanding of what affects him/her, you will have an easier time troubleshooting problems and dealing with situations that cause problems.
If you need to take time off, you are not a bad mother. Finding part-time help will allow you to rejuvenate and recharge your batteries.
Featured Image by Pexels
