Reply to Christmas Stress/Rigidity

Forum Index » Kids With Special Needs and Disabilities

Reply to "Christmas Stress/Rigidity"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]Op, are you familiar with the SPACE method for anxiety? I wonder if that would help, especially the part where you write her a letter. That might help if it's mostly anxiety but maybe less so if it's mostly about autistic overwhelm.

I'd also say it's okay to be disappointed or overwhelmed and to cry sometimes. She can excuse herself to go to her room if she needs to. Sometimes my 2eASD teen can tell in advance that the overwhelm is coming and do this. Sometimes she can't and might have an outburst. For those latter times it's helpful to have a code word or hand signal you decide on in advance that basically says "I love you and want you to be comfortable and safe. You're not keeping it together right now. Please go to your room and take a pause." Discuss all this in advance so it's clear that it's not a punishment but an opportunity to regulate. Maybe write it down, too.

Also if she's good at school and likes school, can you come up with an "assignment" for her to write out a set of possible actions she can take? Like if x happens I can 1, 2,3,4, or 5. And if y happens I can...."

Also regarding giving away gifts, my dd used to be extra rigid about this but read "the life changing magic of tidying up." Learning the "rule" that the purpose of a gift is to express a feeling in the moment (not to be a burden for the rest of your life) has been helpful in letting things go.

Talk about how you know there will be glitches and she'll mess up and you'll also mess up sometimes, and that's okay. Talk about and model options for how to repair things when we inevitably mess up.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics