Did you know that about 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder each year in the United States?
Being a parent of an autistic child can be challenging. Although you love your child dearly, their disorder can make everyday situations tougher than you think they should be.
If you’re in the midst of a crisis when it comes to parenting an autistic child, you’re far from alone. Luckily, the wisdom from other parents who have successfully raised amazing kids with autism can help! Just keep on reading to find out about some helpful parenting tips.
1. Reframe Behaviors
Many children with ASD suffer from sensory challenges that can cause them to “act out”. Whether you’re at a grocery store, a shopping mall, or even a playground, it’s important to know that if your child “acts out”, he or she isn’t trying to frustrate you; they’re simply too stimulated.
Instead of yelling at or punishing your child, reframe the behavior by changing a negative experience to a positive one. You can do this by removing the child from the situation and by monitoring their sensory threshold the next time a similar situation occurs.
2. Focus on the Good
It’s easy to get caught up in focusing on all of your child’s negative behaviors and actions. However, this can be damaging to our children and can leave them feeling less-than, so you should focus on complimenting good behaviors instead.
This will reinforce the idea that certain appropriate behaviors are rewarded, which will make them want to continue to do them in the future.
3. Celebrate Your Child’s Differences
It’s a no-brainer: a child with autism will be different from a child without it.
This doesn’t mean anything negative; it simply means you should celebrate your child’s quirks and differences! Teach your child that being different isn’t a bad thing and that their diagnosis doesn’t define them, but instead that their character does.
4. Use Resources
With so many children out there on the autism spectrum, you can imagine just how many resources and tools are out there to help you.
Get involved in an online group or forum, or join a non-profit meant to help families with children who have ASD. You might be surprised to find out just how many parents are struggling with the challenges of being a parent of an autistic child.
Furthermore, your child might be in need of an intervention. Read more about the benefits at the link!
Excel at Parenting an Autistic Child
Each child is different, and it’s up to you as the parent to decide which of these tips will work best. However, now that you’re aware of these ideas, you can start to excel at parenting an autistic child and be the best role model you can be.
Did you learn something new from this information? If you did, be sure to check out the rest of our posts about all things family and relationships!
