The spectrum is rather large with some children being nonverbal and others more high functioning. Whichever end of the autism spectrum your child is on; one fact remains true – some parents have a difficult time understanding how they can bond with their autistic child.
When you first receive the diagnosis that your child is on the spectrum, you’ll be full of questions and uncertain of how to proceed from here. You’ll love your child just as much as you did prior to the diagnosis, but you’ll still need to know the answers to simple questions.
Today we’re going to help you understand fun ways to bond with your autistic child so that you can strengthen the bond with your lovely child, without stressing them or you out.
Don’t Make Assumptions
Usually, you can guess what your child is feeling simply by looking at their body language or facial expressions. This concept is going to have to go out the window with your autistic child. Chances are your child doesn’t show many of the typical facial expressions for happy, angry, or sad. Children on the spectrum tend to have a straight face, use a flat tone, and don’t fit into the regular norms of showing emotions.
This means you’ll have to pay close attention to your autistic child to understand how they’re feeling and what they’re thinking. After some practice, you’ll soon realize the cues as to whether your autistic child is happy, sad, or about to have a meltdown without much effort.
Initiate Play
Autistic children don’t vocalize their desire to play as their siblings would express it. This means you’ll have to take the initiative to play with your child. If your child has a hard time understanding your spoken words, you can use sign language and other objects in the home to guide them towards a little playtime together.
Use a visual chart that includes a specific time of day when you’re going to enjoy some fun with your autistic child so that they have something to look forward to. This visual chart can use images and words so that your child knows what each block of time is designated for.
Use the Right Words
Autistic children tend to be very literal. This means if you tell them to “step on it” meaning to hurry up, they may literally step on something. This means you’ll want to stop using sarcasm and phrases that you’ve grown accustomed to using. While you can start to get your autistic child to understand sarcasm in the future, especially if they’re on the high functioning end of the spectrum, this will take time.
Make note of any phrases you say that confuse your autistic child so that they aren’t confused. You will want to be straight forward and specific with words when you’re trying to build a strong bond with your autistic child.
Find Their Interests
Lastly, if you truly want to build a strong bond with your autistic child then you’re going to have to pay attention to what they’re interested in. Your child may become interested and perhaps obsessed with certain shows, toys, and other activities that you’re not familiar with. Now is the time to familiarize yourself with your autistic child’s interests.
If your child enjoys anime or certain games, consider learning to enjoy watching anime with them and playing video games that they enjoy. This can give you plenty of options to strengthen your bond with your caustic child.
In conclusion, learning how to strengthen your bond with your autistic child comes down to paying attention to their cues, interests, and responses. Once you learn what makes your child tick, you’ll quickly find creative ways to enjoy the quality time together without meltdowns.