Habits you need to create
Habits you need to create
I have been speaking extensively about creating habits in order to set you up for success, especially with regards to your goals. In fact, if you go to YouTube you will see I am in the process of talking about the 12 habits I created last year in order for me to help with my monetary goal in my business. Of course this will look different for you, but it will give you an idea of how it is done. This year I have created more habits that I think will help me achieve my goal.
As a parent of autism it is particularly important to create habits around your own life, your goals and what you want to achieve, but also for your autistic child. Just because they are autistic, we tend to let our kids of the hook with things that are fairly natural to neurotypical kids. And I am guilty of this too. I give my kiddo a lot of space because of his autism, but at the same time I am also not doing either of us any favours.
Habits you need to create
One of the goals I have for my son is to practice his verbal skills. As you know he is 8 going on 9 next month and does say some words and a few sentences, but also only when prompted. If you are like me, I anticipate a lot of his needs and so he does not have to voice them. The result is he is not talking as much as he could. As we all know communication is one of the key pillars with our autistic kids, because without communication there are a lot of meltdowns, tantrums and unwanted behaviours. The latter being one that is popping up it’s head up our family.
Supporting Families with Autistic Children
As a qualified life coach and a parent of an autistic child, I bring a unique blend of professional expertise and personal understanding to my work with families dealing with autism. My journey as a parent has equipped me with firsthand insights into the challenges and triumphs that come with raising an autistic child.
I specialise in offering tailored support and compassionate guidance to families navigating similar paths.
My approach is empathetic and informed, focusing on empowering families to not only manage but also to celebrate the unique aspects of life with an autistic child. Through personalised coaching sessions, I provide effective strategies, support for enhancing family dynamics, and techniques for positive communication.
My goal is to help families foster a deeper understanding of autism and find balance and joy in their lives.
So one of the habits I am creating for my son is that he has to voice what he wants before he gets it. If he wants a cookie, he has to ask for it. If he wants to swim, he has to say “swim”. Sometimes I do not know what he wants and he will lead me to the thing, but once I am aware I give him the word to repeat. Is it not strange that things like chocolate or any other really desired object, they can say very easily? Haha. So even if there are things that are readily available to your child, put them in an inaccessible place so that your child has to ask for them by name.
Habits you need to create
If your child is not verbal as yet, start teaching them signs for the things that they want. Now don’t go freaking out that you need to learn sign language. Make some easy gestures that you both can remember and understand. Around 5 is a good number, for eg drink, food, potty, more, cookie or toy. You can work with what your child is interested in.
Habits need to be practiced regularly, every opportunity you get and because our autistic children learn differently to their neurotypical peers, they need a lot more attention and dedication to these habits.
So while my top habit is for my son to be more vocal, he has been displaying unwanted behaviours like scratching, spitting and occasionally biting. This is a type of communication as well, not one we as parents like, but something we have to work with. There is a reason why this type of behaviour is coming up and it is my job to figure out the why and to deal with it in a positive manner.
Fright or flight mode
It is very easy, as a parent, to get into a fright or flight mode, by reprimanding them, putting distance between him and you or whoever they are scratching and of course you need to put safety in place first. But once you are out of the situation and you have calmed yourself down, is to determine why they behaved in this manner. You need to find out what the motivation was and how to counteract it.
So all these things I cover when you coach with me, but you can see how important it is to set up habits for your child and get your mindset right around it. Just because they have autism does not mean they are stupid or can’t learn. They just learn differently and we have to find a way to help them. It is possible and once you start seeing the results, you will be amazed.
Till next week
A
Xxx
Certified Life Coach
As a dedicated life coach specializing in supporting parents with autistic children, we will focus on practical solutions, tailored to your family’s needs, to enhance communication, positive habits and a thriving environment for your child. Please email me to find out how to work with me at hello@lliautism.net
To subscribe ~ see the form below👇👇👇