How to make your autistic child's time at home (while schools are closed) a bit more positive and fun.

A thread. Please read, share and bear in mind that I don't have all the answers!

#autistic #schoolclosures

1. Don't be afraid of them heavily indulging their special interests. They are typically calming and will help them regulate their mood. #autistic #schoolclosures

2. Do remind them to eat and drink though. These two things can easily be forgotten about by both them and you! If I forget food I get grumpy as hell so bear it in mind. #autistic #schoolclosures

3. Make sure important things like baths, self care, bedtime, main meals are structured as rigidly as possible. Give clear 20 minute and 5 minute warnings before changes of task. #autistic #schoolclosures

4. Don't worry if the majority of their socialising is with strangers on video games. This isn't inherently bad. Do make it clear however that if anyone they interact with is inappropriate, they should move server and let you know. #autistic #schoolclosures

5. Linked to #4, bear in mind that most online games these days do require a lot of verbal communication and that as skill sets go, it's a great way to practice. Just be vigilant. #autistic #schoolclosures

6. Share your special interests if you have them. This is primarily for #autistic parents but could work for anyone. I shared my love of volcanoes with The Child and it was fantastic bonding. #autistic #schoolclosures

7. Don't stress unduly about lost education time. Everyone's in the same boat and there isn't an expiry date on learning. Enjoy the fact your kid *might* be happier at home. #autistic #schoolclosures

8. Normalise home learning by having it routine and structured. If your child uses a timetable at school and rely on it (many #autistic kids are obsessed) then emulate it and have a home timetable. If possible format it the same way as their school one! #schoolclosures

9. Don't panic and overwork them as this will almost certainly breed resentment and terrible stress. Try to intersperse learning consistently with free time. #autistic #schoolclosures

10. Do discuss the crisis with them. Many #autistic kids hate being patronised and left out, and are likely to be more able to handle it than you expect. But ultimately you know your own child's capacity. #schoolclosures

11. Encourage new interests and curiosities. Listen to them when they want to share their findings with you - properly listen, not a cursory listen - and ask questions. #autistic #schoolclosures

12. Try to use similar behaviour strategies to their school *if* they respond well to them and miss the structure. The sheer familiarity can be very soothing. If they *don't* respond well, experiment. #autistic #schoolclosures

13. Don't suddenly change plans and act surprised if it stresses them out. For me it's that indifference to my stress that shoild have been easily foreseeable that makes me so unhappy. #autistic #schoolclosures

14. Don't warn them off of Wikipedia. Many #autistic kids discover this and are sucked into reading about their interests, only to be told by a figure in authority that Wikipedia is 'bad' in some way. For normal usage, wiki is actually a fantastic resource. #schoolclosures

15. Introduce them to the @sporcle website (no I'm not sponsored, just a huge, massive fan) as a way of flexing their knowledge of their special interests. There are quizzes on every possible topic. #autistic #schoolclosures

16. Ask #autistic people on here for advice if you're stuck. We're mostly quite happy to help but be polite, obviously. #schoolclosures

As always, I'll leave this here - if you fancy it! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/UfTVnRY 

AND!

Read the replies to the tweets on this thread as lots of #autistic people will probably add their thoughts too!