In an earlier post, I discussed the need for teens with autism to have more choices, just like any other teen. So, how can we as parents and educators provide them more freedom, more space? Here are some tips:
- Give them more opportunities to make choices, within parameters. For example, if a teenager has had a schedule to stick to after school, why not give him the choice of what order to do it in?
- At school, provide more opportunities for making choices, perhaps in choosing the group activity, or more control over planning his schedule, and in how he spends his day.
- Give him or her the choice of what the family will eat for dinner, (within limits) once or twice a week – maybe he can even go do the shopping and help prepare for the meal with a helper. responsibility, and that is a lesson all teens need to learn.
- Instead of always planning activities or outing for your teen on the weekends, pick one day where your teen can choose on a regular basis what his afternoon will look like.
Have more questions about teens and autism? You may want to consider signing up for my course on Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum.