Your child has just been diagnosed with autism. Now what?
I have two wonderful boys ages 4- and 6-years old who are on the autism spectrum. As my sons (and I) grew, I found myself meeting more and more moms who were in the same boat as us a few years earlier. They were beginning this journey. They either had recently received an autism diagnosis or they suspected their child was on the autism spectrum and they wanted to know what they could do to help their child.
Thus, began my project of writing down words of encouragement and support and, best of all, real-life ideas and suggestions to help guide them [you] through this new journey.
I titled this compilation The Autism Sisterhood. It’s brief—it takes approximately an hour to read—and is filled to the brim with practical tips, suggestions and encouragement. It’s called a sisterhood because that it exactly what I have found: moms, therapists, friends who I have connected with because they get it. They understand life in, around, under, or all scattered about autism. Some have special needs children. Some do not.
The Autism Sisterhood is targeted toward early childhood and lists teaching songs, albums, videos (including Watch Me Learn’s Let’s Play Volume 2 Classic Series) and books. It details websites where you can go and learn more. It shares ways to expand your child’s vocabulary, navigate the holidays and open up a world of discovery for you and your children.
Sample excerpt from The Autism Sisterhood:
The Explore Basket
This idea came to me as my son and I were standing in an arts and craft store. He was mesmerized by all of the holiday decorations. They were everywhere. He stood, looked, jumped up and down, and explored. There were so many sights, sounds, colors, etc. We stayed quite a while and were asked several times if we could be helped. Each time I replied, “We’re just looking.” And, that’s exactly what we did. We looked. We learned.
As I stood there, I came to realize that holidays are a sensory blitz with lights, sounds, smells, songs, characters and traditions coming at you from every direction. There is so much that it can be hard to soak it all in, especially at holiday parties when it’s combined with the excitement and noise of lots of people.
Hence, the Explore Basket idea was born. I made it for my sons’ class and each season/holiday I changed it out. The first basket (it’s just a large wicker basket) was “Explore Autumn,” in which I brought together a collection of colored leaves, small hay bale, pumpkins, gourds, a pilgrim’s hat, and scarecrow. Basically, I went to different stores looking for items the kids might see at someone’s house or classroom. I got items they would most likely recognized (jack-o-lanterns), as well as some new ones (like cornucopia)—always looking for ways to build vocabulary.
The beauty of the Explore Basket is that it’s all hands-on. The kids can touch the scarecrow; they can pull out the stuffing if they want. There is no “don’t touch that” rule—it’s all about learning. The key to the basket is variety, textures and scents.
The scent part of the basket is a lot of fun. How often does a certain smell bring back a memory of an event or location for you? That’s why, for Christmas, the basket is filled with candy canes and cinnamon sticks.
Another fun (and helpful) theme is birthday parties. For this topic, the basket is piled high with wrapped gifts (for the kids to practice giving to one another), party hats, party whistles/toys. This way the kids are introduced to all of the items that they would typically see at a party and have the opportunity to investigate them in a calmer environment. The Explore Basket provides kids with a path to evaluate and understand some of the nuances of a holiday or event without it being too overwhelming.
Sisterhood Tip: Talk with the other moms and dads in the classroom to see what events are unsettling for their kids and see if you can find ways to create a basket to help them work through it.
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On a personal note, I would like to share with you how my family uses our Watch Me Learn videos. Each evening—after dinner and before bedtime—we watch a “quiet time” video. It’s not that the videos are quiet as in volume, but rather calming. My boys truly enjoy watching real kids interact with one another. They are captivated, engaged and are soaking up these great social skill lessons.
Best of all, I have witnessed my oldest son apply lessons he has seen on his Watch Me Learn videos. And that, my friend, is huge. We own all the videos and rotate watching them throughout the year. I am so excited about the new video Riding, Hiding, Food and Fun. I cannot wait to see what my boys will learn next!
We’re all in this together—learning, supporting, and laughing. So, should your son or daughter receive an autism diagnosis, please take a moment. Deep inhale. Slow exhale. Relax and know that autism is an incredible journey, and you all are going to be just fine.
The Autism Sisterhood is available at Amazon.com (link: http://amzn.com/1452895465).
