By Maria Davis-Pierre LMHC
Transitions can be difficult for a lot of children, but you want to be sure to pay close attention to them when your child is autistic. Transitions come in many forms, such as from activity to activity, subject to subject, place to place, etc. As your child gets older, some transitions may be easier and some new challenges could also arise. As a mother of two autistic children, I can tell you from experience that one of the most helpful things you can do is to equip your child with skills that will help them with daily transitions.
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Reminders and time limits
Reminders and time limits are especially important when moving from a preferred activity to another less desirable one. When your child is doing an activity they enjoy (like playing video games or watching a show) and they have to transition to something they are not looking forward to (like bedtime or bath time), providing reminders and a time limit can help ease them to the next activity. In my home, we use a timer so our children can visually see the time they have left with the activity they are doing. Check out the Parenting Minutes video Autism: Everyday Transitions to see an example of this technique at work.
