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I know this was 8 months ago, but I’m an autism mama as well (my son is 5 and on the spectrum). Really encouraged to give this a go! How has it been going for you? I also have a neuro-typical 4 year old daugher, and a 10 month baby boy, so life is very hectic, especially right now.
Love the above suggestion! We have also found it helpful to encourage a few deep breaths or inviting our oldest to count to 10 when his frustration escalates and before he reacts. After he takes a moment to calm down, we can better process the situation together.
Maybe ask family members to video record them singing their favorite song or reading their favorite story or even telling a story from their childhood and play all of them for the big day?
Good luck!Hi Sarah,
Welcome! I have a four-year old and my mantra is “play is enough” at this point. Much of my day is spent with one foot in the chores and one foot in activities/games/reading/requests for undivided attention by my little one. I involve her in as many of my chores if I’m trying to stay focused on finishing them and we call that “play” as she currently loves to help. Anyway, I really just surrender to the ebb and flow of her developing brain/needs. That’s just us!
Good luck as you try it out!
Hi Sarah.
I have a 4yo, and we dont really do school.I have this mental list of together and separate activities I want to do every day. Some are anchored, we read together first thing, but lots aren’t.
Together homebound includes: reading, 30 minutes of her choice which is pretend play, outside time (play ball, walk, etc), and normally 2 other semi structured activities like othergoose prompt, art, play doh, or a game.
Separate I expect her to entertain herself after meals or when I’m doing chores if she doesnt want to help.
This is just us.
I’m in the UK- Belfast(ish), Northern Ireland . Here via Indiana to Los Angeles to UK. Three homes and no homes :)
Hi Laura!
We had the same challenge over here! Olive often gets frustrated when she draws (Troll from Billy Goat’s Gruff ended up scrupled up and thrown on the floor – insert monkey with hands on face emoji here:). Would love to hear how others help their littles through this kind of frustration.
Warmly,
Morgan
I definitely relate to your son. I love structure! I love it so much that I have to plan for non structured time. Ha! For me, a few things seem to help. Established cleaning time. After breakfast, I clean up the kitchen, put dishes away, etc. I do this every day. I tell little I’m going to do it when we go over our list of activities at breakfast. So she’s full and happily goes and plays for 30minutes to an hour until the next thing. She doesn’t generally want to help me clean so she’s not missing out on something more fun, she’s full, and she knows we are going to do her pick of together play next. Our whole day flows like Erin suggested together apart together apart. Good luck. Transitions can be so hard.
Culver City! First-time user! Mom of a 4 and 6 year old. Iām trying to survive this quarantine. Share any suggestions!
Hi Everyone – Erin, THANK YOU for your generous and quick response to the coronavirus outbreak. The calm encouragement of veteran homeschoolers is reassuring in such an uncertain time. I’m trying to look at this moment of chaos as a ladder – an opportunity to engage with my kids in ways that strengthen our family unit and to be grateful that I’m in the privileged position of being able to do so.
In beginning the homeschooling endeavor, I do have a question about time. Intuitively and as research you’ve cited suggests, kids thrive/learn a lot when they can be self-directed, curious, and unstructured; however, my kids’ behavior seems to fall apart a bit (more disagreements between siblings and subsequently more tears, more whining/crankiness, less emotional regulation/direction-following) when encouraged to “take things into their own hands.” My older son in particular seems much more at peace when he’s on a very regular and structured schedule. This is leading me to want to adhere to a more “school-like” atmosphere at home. Do you have any tips for gently leading a kid like this towards more independence/self-authorship?
