Tuesday, 14 June 2011
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Time Management Tips for Parents of Special Needs Children
Hi,
I am new to this site. I have a child with high functioning autism and many other diagnoses as well. Autism, undefined chromosome anomaly of 17q 12 partial duplication, ADHD,Chiai Malformation Type 1, amblyopia, epilepsy, heterotopic pancre or a pancreatic rest and all of the coexisting diagnoses that go with Autism.
I was looking for time management skills for special needs kids when I saw this site. I work full-time, juggle many docs for my son, have health issues of my own, and I am a single parent. I just can't seem to manage the house like I would like to, and would love to hear tips on this subject.
Deb
Rhyan's Mom
What are your time management tips for a parent of special needs child?
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- From: RHYAN
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Comments (4)
Wow, you sure are busy! For me, one of the frustrating things about autism is how it has no time. I will never forget when my friend told me "time is irrelevant" to her son with autism. It's SO TRUE! They're in a rush when you're not ready, and you can't get them to hurry up when you're behind! I know for my HFA/Asperger's son, hurrying makes him only go more slowly!
I don't know if this will help you, but I recently wrote a post on my blog about using a new hit-list, as opposed to a to-do list. I'll leave the link here in case you want to read it. One of the BIGGEST helps to me was when a family manager coach taught me to understand prioritizing, and that it's ok to let some things, even good things, go! Whew, what freedom! Look at what is important to YOUR family, not someone else's!
http://manyhatsmommy.com/2011/05/31/make-it-simple-customized-hit-list/
I'm not sure what would be best for you--maybe a cell phone with appointment alerts. But if your son has a hard time looking at a clock, knowing when time is up, and transitioning to the next thing, you might want to think about a time-timer clock: http://www.timetimer.com/ which visually shows how much time is left. Kids have an easier time transitioning (and sticking to your time schedule) when then know what's coming.
Hi Deb,
This is quite a demanding life you have. Definitely time is an issue for you. Here are a couple of ideas: - invest in an analog clock. As the lady above mentioned, children (especially with autism spectrum) don't have a good sense of time, and can't figure out what time means on a digital clock. Having a clock with hands that move, and possibly using the time-timer, will help your boy transition. - prioritize: is it really important to have a completely clean home? what counts most for you? Focus on these things first. - find some Me Time for yourself. It can be as simple as 5 minutes alone in the car, where you do some mindfulness and/or relaxation exercises. - is there any way that you can have your son taken care of for an hour or two every week? You need a little bit of time to yourself so that you can give your best to the rest of your life.
I help working moms get control over their lives using time management among many other things. If you have a question, please don't hesitate to reach out! My website is dailymastery.com. Not only do you need some time for yourself and a feeling of control, you deserve it!
Karin
Thank you for letting me know this information.