Routines with consistency

Are you like me? Do you count on your calendar or daytimer to keep you on track? Personally, I am LOST without my daily calendar. I feel so much better when I know what to expect for the day. When I cross things off of my list, I feel great!

Kids are just like us - they want to know what to expect, when special events are happening, and enjoy the sense of accomplishment when things are crossed off the list. A visual schedule is a wonderful tool to keep your children on track, as well as teaching them independence and following through with something. You can have a morning and an evening schedule which will guide them through their routines such as getting dressed, brushing their teeth and hair, and so on.

If you are sounding like a broken record, trying to get your child out the door in the morning or into bed at night, try a visual schedule and watch how they fly with it. Both of you will reap the rewards of routines!

Debra Batt, owner of Picture Symbol Solutions, uses her experiences as a Teacher's Assistant and parent to create resources for families who are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.