5 Ways To Nurture Independence in Your Child With Autism
Although it’s hard to see your baby grow from a toddler to a teen, every parent would love for them to grow into an independent and responsible adult. However, as parents, you should look at independence differently. Independence doesn’t mean that your child doesn’t ever need you anymore; it means they can live without needing to depend on someone.
So, having a child with autism may mean that they need support occasionally, but that doesn’t mean they can’t do things independently. Here are five ways to nurture independence in your child with autism.
It Begins at Home
The beginning of all journeys starts at home. You must practice skills in a familiar setting for your child to be more independent. You can’t expect them to do things on their own without proper practice and instruction. Begin by creating visual schedules and breaking down the steps of each daily task, so they can comprehend what they should do.
With this extra practice, they can start to do some tasks on their own naturally.
Respect Their Opinion
Include your child in daily decisions and ask them what they think. Whether you’re asking them for an opinion on dinner plans or what they thought about the movie, your child will understand that their opinions are valuable. Not only will it teach them self-advocacy, but it will also build their confidence in socializing.
Set Achievable Goals
Assigning simple tasks daily is a great way to nurture independence in your child with autism. When constructing tasks for the day, build them around activities they’re reasonably good at, such as cleaning up their toys or morning self-care. Remember to encourage them and praise them for completing the task.
Create Visual Schedules
Using a visual schedule with your child can help the transition from one activity to another go more smoothly. At the start of each day, review each item on the agenda with your child and then remind them to check their schedule throughout the day to see what’s next. Over time, they will get accustomed to completing some tasks independently.
Work on Strengthening Communication Skills
If your child struggles to communicate verbally, it’s essential that you teach them other forms of expressing themselves. Whether through speech output devices, sign language, or picture exchange communication systems, you should strengthen those skills before granting independence.
By strengthening their communication skills, your child will have an easier time asking for a break when feeling overwhelmed and navigating the world on their own safely. For example, you must teach and practice pedestrian safety to help them identify signs and other safety markers and familiarize them with public spaces.
As a parent, it’s hard to see your little one grow. However, your child deserves a fulfilling, independent life. Continuing to teach them developmental skills and encouraging them to do things independently will help them blossom and gain self-confidence. Celebrate the small wins, allow them to make mistakes, encourage them to socialize—do it all!
To gain independence, your child needs to learn all the fundamentals first. At HANDS, we are autism service providers, providing early intervention and therapies to help your child gain developmental skills that will help them throughout their life. Contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation.
