My ASD Child

D o you know what your Aspergers youngster listens to and reads and how she spends time with her friends? Talking with your youngster about her interests opens up an opportunity for you to share your values. And research says that monitoring your youngster's activities is an important way to lower her chances of getting involved in situations you don't approve of, especially those that can be harmful. Unsupervised kids simply have more opportunities to experiment with risky behaviors, including the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs, and they may start substance abuse at earlier ages. At home: • Know what your youngster watches on TV. • Know what your youngster is reading. • Know what your youngster is doing on the internet. • Know what music your youngster listens to. Away from home: It's 4 p.m. on a school day. Do you know where your Aspergers youngster is? If she's an adolescent, you may not. As your youngster gets older and makes more...

Set a good example for your Aspergers child. Think about what you say and how you act in front of him. Your youngster learns social skills and how to deal with stress by listening to and watching you. Do not take part in illegal, unhealthy, or dangerous practices related to alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs or he may believe that, no matter what you say, these practices are OK. Someone Is Watching You— Who is your Aspergers child’s role model? You! A recent online survey revealed that nearly half of the young men respondents looked to their fathers as their role model. In another survey, 42 percent of 750 teens named a relative as their role model. In a third survey, 46 percent of teens said their role model is a family member, not a pop icon or sports star. Whether you know it or not, you are a role model for your youngster. Aspergers adolescents who have positive role models are more likely to do well in school and have higher self-esteem; they also are less likely to abus...

Make clear, sensible rules for your Aspergers (high functioning autistic) youngster and enforce them with consistency and appropriate consequences. When you do this, you help your child develop daily habits of self-discipline. Following these rules can help protect your youngster's physical safety and mental well-being, which can lower her risk for substance abuse problems. Some rules, such as "Respect Your Elders," apply to all ages, but many will vary depending on your Aspergers child's age and level of development. This section offers tips on how to establish expectations for your child's behavior and how to respond when she doesn't obey. Set Rules for Your Aspergers Kids About Alcohol, Tobacco, and Illegal Drugs Talking to your kids about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs is an important step in keeping them safe and healthy. However, many parents neglect to take the next step: making sure that their kids have clear rules about...

It really can make a difference when you get involved in your Aspergers child's life. Aspergers teens are much less likely to have mental health and substance use problems when they have positive activities to do and when caring adults are involved in their lives. Your involvement and encouragement tell your Aspergers child that he and his activities are worthwhile and may help him identify and pursue positive goals as he gets older. Additionally, you will be better able to see changes in your child that may indicate a problem. This section will give you some ideas about ways to become more involved in your child's life. The Importance of Family Mealtime— What’s dinnertime like in your home? Does everyone heat up their own meal in the microwave at different times and retire to their own corner of the house? Eating dinner together as a family has become a lost art, but Family Day—A Day To Eat Dinner With Your Aspergers Kids is a chance for rediscovery. Pick a night th...

Have you ever talked on the telephone while watching TV, folding clothes, or surfing the Internet? Have you ever felt that the person you were talking to was nodding and saying "uh-huh" in appropriate places but not really listening to you? The message conveyed in these examples is that the listener has higher priorities than giving full attention to the speaker. That message can make the speaker feel unimportant, frustrated, and hurt. Click here for the full article...