Crowdsource Your Efforts. For parents, the best part of Autism Awareness Month might be being reminded that they are not alone. Especially these days, everyone wants to share what’s working. So, take advantage of the resources that reputable organizations share.
Make a Schedule and Stick to It. Children benefit greatly from consistent schedules, and none more so than those with ASD. Use this resource to help you create a schedule for your child. But be realistic. Not every minute of every day needs to be accounted for. Schedule short blocks of schoolwork that your child can get used to and don’t forget some time to get outside.
Have a Designated Learning Space. Like brick-and-mortar schools that have the kinds of triggers that Kathryn’s mother described, your home can be filled with potential, unintended distractions. To mitigate that issue, simply designate a specific area for online learning.
Use Hyperfocus to Your Advantage. It is true that being on the autism spectrum can make it hard for your child to ignore distractions, but the flip side is that it can also cause them to concentrate so intensely on one thing, they block out almost everything else. So, if that sounds like your child, use that to your advantage by structuring your daily activities around that subject.
Find out which hooks incite interests in new subjects then focus on them—and don’t forget: For kids on the autism spectrum, having options and choices can be empowering. If you give them some control over their routines, that can go a long way toward keeping their interest focused on learning.