Sunday, 20 September 2009

• Back-to-School with Autism - Doggy Style

  Yo, Mick here – the canine with the new hat, pointy ears and wet nose.
  
  It’s been an insannnne summer at our home – and classes have resumed. (Bummer that)
  
  The best part of summer is getting my boy back! I think Red missed me as much as I missed him
  
  Red’s been taking me for walks, tossing the ball for me, and letting me sleep on his pillow. I do like sleeping on the pillow.
  
  Summer went by very fast! Next thing I knew we’d transitioned to school already! But we’ve about got the hang of it…
  
  The Transition from summer to fall can be huge for kids on the spectrum and are often causes for concern (can you say anxiety?) for the parents of kids with autism – often even more anxiety for the parents than the child.
  
  There are probably hundreds of things to worry about in the transition back to school. 
  
  Try this - don't worry!
  Find your inner-canine.
  
  I mean think about it for a moment.
  
  Did the things you actually worried about happen?
  Sure, some things did while others did not – right?
  But what exactly did worrying about them do to help the situation?
  
  Believe me, I totally get that double transitions such as a new school, or district, or promotion from elementary to junior high, or from junior high to high school are huge.
  
  I hear you – canine ears are sharp.
  
  All I’m really saying is that worrying won’t help and takes way too much energy. Conserve your efforts to what works. Lock in those transitions that help.
  
  For example, Red likes to get ready for going back to school by shopping for clothes, shoes, new backpack and supplies. These things mean that school is about to begin for Red. He’s a part of the transition process and gets to make some important choices (mum does guide him sometimes with “either – or” options). It’s a back-to-school ritual.
  
  Rituals offer continuity and comfort.
  
  It’s not too early to start using them and its not too late either.
  
  Shop for school supplies (online if its too much to go out into the crowds) together.
  
  Shopping is a natural opportunity to talk about the upcoming transition.
  
  LOL – this may appear to be rather one-sided conversations but that’s ok too. It is what it is. The point is to keep the channels of communication open – you have no idea what is actually seeping through. Likely, a lot more than appears to be!
  
  In these conversations, focus on what works, the students’ strengths, and resilience, and past transition successes (even seemingly insignificant transitions
  Such as getting out of bed in the morning are places to build new successes on).
  
  Remember there is a lot of comfort in the rituals of being in school versus the often, unpredictable schedules and social events of summer. Focus on the positives.
  
  Play up the positives, build upon the positives, talk about the positives and act on the positives and you’ll find you wont have a lot of time to worry.
  
  You’ll have found your inner-canine.
  
  There will likely be a need for adjustments in the transition to back-to-school, but by establishing a habit of focusing on the positives, positive solutions will likely happen.
  
  Peace out – peace in. Peace in Transition.

  

  
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