Organised chaos!! The morning schedule for children with ASD!!!

Organisation is the key to any household running smoothly. That being said, it is easier said than done when you are raising children with Autism. Despite trying to be organised, the slightest upset can lead to hours being taken out of your schedule to deal with meltdowns, sensory seeking or just plain old not understanding.

Despite all the possible interruptions, children with ASD do so much better with a schedule. They like to know what’s coming next. So trying to keep to a strict schedule is always best. But be prepared for the inevitable meltdown if for some unknown reason the schedule has to change.

Master 10 didn’t make it to school on Tuesday as we had therapy for Master 5 and they were then late to school. I wasn’t able to get him out of the car. The thought of his classmates looking at him as he entered the classroom late was all to much for him. So after 30 minutes sitting in the car trying to calm him down I just gave up and let him have a mental health day at home.

The most important part of scheduling is making it realistic. Don’t expect your children to become prompt organised little humans overnight. Once you have a schedule in place it will take time for them to get into the routine. You also have to allow extra time for certain activities if your children are unable to do them unassisted. So for instance, Master 10 is able to get himself dressed and shoes and socks on, Master 5 can’t, so I have to allow him time to try and do it for himself and then time for me to come in and make sure he is ready to go.

This also means that each child has to have their own schedule for each part of the day. For most children you can make a very simple schedule and have them tick of each chore or activity as it is done. Example:

• Shower
• Get Dressed
• Breakfast
• Bags packed

For children with ASD it has to be far more detailed. Example:

• Shower
• Underwear on
• Shirt on
• Shorts on
• Socks on
• Shoes on
• Breakfast
• Brush teeth
• Brush hair
• Check list

Then another checklist just for packing their bags:

• Water bottle
• Lunch box
• Hat
• Homework folder
• anything extra (swimmers, notes, etc)
• Check list

The more detailed the schedual and lists the better they seem to work. With my boys I also use visual aids. Even though the older boys can read, I find they are much better with pictures than words. Master 5 obviously has to have pictures. This is also a good way for them to learn new words as I print them under the picture.

I also put a time limit on each activity, allowing them the time that they personally need to get each activity done. Master 10 only needs ten minutes to get dressed where as Master 7 needs more like 30 minutes and around 15 reminders as to what he is supposed to be doing.

I also like to minimise interruptions and distractions. This is really difficult when you have smaller children, that urge to just pop on some cartoons to keep them distracted and busy while you run around is very tempting, however in my house it will lead to six children staring at the TV and no one will be ready. I also like to turn my phone onto mute or leave it in another room.

It is crazy how much time can be quickly eaten up just checking an email or two, or replies on steemit. The next thing you know and hour has gone past and you are the one that has thrown the schedule out the window. Which brings me to my next schedule rule.

My schedule has to fit around theirs. I don’t just mean appointments and therapy. My minute to minute schedual in the morning has to magically intertwine with what each of my children are doing so that I am available to help with the tasks that they cannot manage on their own.

For instance, Master 5, Master 7, Miss 3 and Miss 1 are all unable to brush their teeth properly. So I have to make sure that I’m not in the middle of lunches or breakfast dishes when they need my help. That plus no one wants to spend the day cleaning an entire tube of toothpaste of the walls!!

The last scheduling rule for the morning and I guarantee it is the most important! Before you leave the house, double check everything. I don’t know how many times last year I had to go home and get a water bottle or a hat because despite checking the school bags one for my darling little munchkins had come along and taken something out.

I now do this last check as I load them into the car. I also make them put their school packs into the boot as we have also had things pulled out on the ride to school and I have had to go back to the car to find the missing homework book or permission form.

Surprisingly I also double check as I drop them all of at their classrooms. Children with ASD find it very difficult to find things, even when they are directly in their line of sight. I once watched Master 5 try to find his other shoe, it was about two meters away and he could not find it, after about five minutes I had to literally walk him over to it and put my hand on it before he could see it.

Same goes for unpacking their bags at school, they will take in maybe their lunch and hat but not see the massive green water bottle. So it is important that I make sure everything makes it into the room with them first time to avoid any meltdowns for their teachers later in the day.

I’m hoping with the new organisation charts and a much more in depth scheduling chart for each child the morning school run is going to become at least a little less stressful. Especially for the boys. The first three hours of the morning often dictate what kind of day we are going to have, if we can get things of to a smoother start I’m hoping it will follow on throughout the day and lead to a smoother afternoon.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful, if you have any organisation or scheduling tips and tricks I would love to hear them.

Thanks for reading!

@mumofmany.

Images source:
1: clipart panda
2: Pinterest
3: iidc.indiana.edu
4: twinkle.co.uk
5: sparklebox.co.uk
6: google play