Saturday, July 9, 2011
Chat is open - Saturday July 9
Come on by the blog if you wish to chat. If you are having any problems, leave a comment below and I will try to help you
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Mission Accomplished!
Social stories, charts, rewards, routines -- sometimes they work sometimes they don't. But today was an extraordinary day which I just wanted to jump up and down and scream hallelujah! My ASD boy has had a nasty cold the last 2 weeks and that was enough to blow his whole demeanor out of whack every day, every hour of that day and each minute out of that hour. Lightly said - the last two weeks have been extremely challenging.
Although today even with his cold and coughing all night long and struggling to wake up for school - which like I said has been routine for the last two weeks I decided to try something new. His biggest obsession right now is playing Wizard101 after school on the computer and completing missions. I decided to use that word - MISSIONS - into his morning routine today. It went something like this:
As I was waking him his twin brother was already walking out of the bedroom to get in for his shower. I told my asd son that he has a mission to complete this morning to earn his starbust candy after school. The mission was:
Part 1 - To treat his brother nicely and remember personal space (no popping bubbles) -- completed
Part 2 - be fully dressed for school before your brother exits the bathroom - completed...
Part 3 - Eat his breakfast and cleanup before 7:10 am -- completed
Part 4 - Brush teeth, brush hair, bathroom and out the door by 7:22pm -- completed
This was all a verbal mission given to him and he followed it to the T. This was the best morning I can literally remember and I am going back years. Was it the reward of the starburst or was it he was head strung in completing his Morning Mission. It worked - that is all I care about. I left his starburst on the table so he could see it when he came home from school with a note attached that said: Mission Completed - Congratulations, I am proud of you. Love Mom". He knew when he left for school that he completed the mission.
Well after school before the door knob left his hand coming into the home he was asking if he could have his starburst. He must of been thinking about it all day long. I decided once again to use the Mission tactic for his afternoon chores for Thursday. Mission was completed without any problems (although this time I did have it written down for him and he followed it step by step). His reward for that Mission was gum for school as it does help him focus more and most of his teachers allow him to chew it.
What a beautiful day it has been. Now I need to become more creative and give cute little names to these missions. How long will it be effective for I really do not know - but I will take it one day at a time.
I always said I love challenges since I was in high school - and oh boy, I sure was handled one that will last a life time and I wouldn't want it any other way. Thanks for reading and sorry there has been such delays in getting my blog out.
Although today even with his cold and coughing all night long and struggling to wake up for school - which like I said has been routine for the last two weeks I decided to try something new. His biggest obsession right now is playing Wizard101 after school on the computer and completing missions. I decided to use that word - MISSIONS - into his morning routine today. It went something like this:
As I was waking him his twin brother was already walking out of the bedroom to get in for his shower. I told my asd son that he has a mission to complete this morning to earn his starbust candy after school. The mission was:
Part 1 - To treat his brother nicely and remember personal space (no popping bubbles) -- completed
Part 2 - be fully dressed for school before your brother exits the bathroom - completed...
Part 3 - Eat his breakfast and cleanup before 7:10 am -- completed
Part 4 - Brush teeth, brush hair, bathroom and out the door by 7:22pm -- completed
This was all a verbal mission given to him and he followed it to the T. This was the best morning I can literally remember and I am going back years. Was it the reward of the starburst or was it he was head strung in completing his Morning Mission. It worked - that is all I care about. I left his starburst on the table so he could see it when he came home from school with a note attached that said: Mission Completed - Congratulations, I am proud of you. Love Mom". He knew when he left for school that he completed the mission.
Well after school before the door knob left his hand coming into the home he was asking if he could have his starburst. He must of been thinking about it all day long. I decided once again to use the Mission tactic for his afternoon chores for Thursday. Mission was completed without any problems (although this time I did have it written down for him and he followed it step by step). His reward for that Mission was gum for school as it does help him focus more and most of his teachers allow him to chew it.
What a beautiful day it has been. Now I need to become more creative and give cute little names to these missions. How long will it be effective for I really do not know - but I will take it one day at a time.
I always said I love challenges since I was in high school - and oh boy, I sure was handled one that will last a life time and I wouldn't want it any other way. Thanks for reading and sorry there has been such delays in getting my blog out.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Parenthood
I absolutely love Parenthood and have it set to record the series just in case I don't get my mommy time at 10pm for one reason or another on a Tuesday night. The recognition this show is getting both on the local and national level has amazed me for one main reason: AUTISM AWARENESS! The producer does an excellent job having Max portray an individual with Asperger's (I've read somewhere that in real life he also has a son on the spectrum) that I sometimes think our family life is being taped and shown to the world. Every episode I have watched I have been able to say - hey that's my lil' boy there and know that I am not alone in this.
The episode last night was just phenomenal (Tuesday February 15, 2011). How many meltdowns we have had because the things were changed! Just had one this morning before he walked out for school - My ds turned 13 today and wanted to wear these really huge birthday glasses someone gave me last month for my 50th birthday and when told he couldn't he was throwing items, screaming and taking his tantrum (lightly said) and refusing to go to school (this is all happening within 8 minutes of the bus coming). Apparently when I showed them to him last month I made the comment maybe he could wear them on his birthday and he remembered it and was set to wear them as he walked out the door for school. I was able to defuse the situation when I told him when he comes home from school this afternoon he can wear them for the rest of the day and even to bed. He thought it was cool that I would let him take them to bed with him and whewwwwww - out the door for school he went!
My ds has his own blog at Outside View Looking In . I hope you stop by to view it soon.
The episode last night was just phenomenal (Tuesday February 15, 2011). How many meltdowns we have had because the things were changed! Just had one this morning before he walked out for school - My ds turned 13 today and wanted to wear these really huge birthday glasses someone gave me last month for my 50th birthday and when told he couldn't he was throwing items, screaming and taking his tantrum (lightly said) and refusing to go to school (this is all happening within 8 minutes of the bus coming). Apparently when I showed them to him last month I made the comment maybe he could wear them on his birthday and he remembered it and was set to wear them as he walked out the door for school. I was able to defuse the situation when I told him when he comes home from school this afternoon he can wear them for the rest of the day and even to bed. He thought it was cool that I would let him take them to bed with him and whewwwwww - out the door for school he went!
My ds has his own blog at Outside View Looking In . I hope you stop by to view it soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)