Transitions with Autism
The morning started out well. He was up, dressed and showered before 9 am. Hallelujah! That hasn’t been the case lately.
He wanted to go to the library, his favorite place. I was absolutely going to take him. But there was one small thing we had to transition to doing on his list of chores first. A little thing called clean your room. He didn’t mind the idea of cleaning his room but he minded the idea of cleaning off the top of his dresser so that we could find his Fit Bit. And pictured above is what happened. . .
Things didn’t get better from there. He transitioned from this to asking for his tablet and my answer was no.
We finally finished his room and made it to the library. Things were calming down. He was in his happy place. He had chosen several books he wanted to take home and. . . The fire alarm went off. We had to immediately exit the building and leave those chosen books in the library. This was not the plan! This was not what he had in mind. Adding to that, the loud sounds of the fire alarm with a person who is sensitive to sounds and it was not a great transition.
People with autism frequently have a hard time with transitions from one thing to the next. They also have difficulty with plans changing unexpectedly.
He started to meltdown but I suggested we wait in the car for a little bit to see if it reopened quickly. He was able to pull it together and we only had to wait about 10 minutes and they let us back in and our books were right where we left them.
All of us deal with disappointments and transitions and often we don’t like change. People who experience Autism think literally. Everything is black and white. I had said we would go to the library and check out books. The idea that something might happen that would prohibit us from doing that was unexpected. The circumstances we found ourselves in were something that would have never occurred to my son. Often we try to pre-teach things that will or could happen, to help him consider things them and help him practice transitions despite having Autism. But I didn’t see this one coming. As happens often in life, we didn’t have a chance to practice this transition because things happen all the time that are unexpected.
All in all, despite having a bit of a rough day, he was able to handle transitions that usually would have been a complete disaster.
I have a niece and a cousin with autism. I hear from them how hard it is. Thanks for sharing your insights and experiences of dealing with autism on the #LMMLinkup.
Thanks for stopping in and reading. I appreciate it.
I cannot even begin to imagine what it is like on a day to day basis for you, your little man and your family. Thank you for shedding light on just a glimpse of your life. More awareness is definitely needed to help others understand, I love that supermarkets are now doing quiet time, things like that I understand are meant to really help!
Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales. I hope to see you back next week!
Thanks for taking the time to read it.
Sounds like everything was thrown at you that day but you both coped very well. Life is full of surprises! #TriumphantTales
It was a day for sure! Thanks for reading.
Thanks for sharing. I am learning.God bless you.
Thank you for reading.
I find it incredibly difficult when plans change or don’t work out as expected but it is even harder when you are a child and have even less experience of the world, before even considering the autism aspect. Thank you for linking up with #globalblogging
Thanks for stopping by and reading. It’s definitely a hard thing to learn.
Calleen – thank you for this with us today. You are right, none very many of us like change and transition. It is very helpful to me to also understand how autism can have an affect on even the daily activities. We have a few kids in our church that have been recently diagnosed with autism, so this help to know how to better to relate and understand what they need and how to handle situations like this. Thanks for linking up with #TuneInThursday Blessings
That is one of the reasons I share our experiences. People can’t help or do better unless they know and understand.
Thanks for this post. You are still standing as Elton John would say and it is clear you are committed to supporting your son. My daughter has autism I think and I am going to read up more about transitions as a result of reading your post so thanks again #TwinklyTuesday
I need to listen to some more Elton John!
Transitions are so difficult for people with Autism. They like things to stay the same. It’s a delicate balance of pushing them out of their comfort zone so that they don’t isolate themselves and supporting them, realizing when they have just had enough and we need to step back and take a break.
I love getting outside of my little box and seeing life from the perspective of someone else. That is exactly what happened when I read your post. I do not have a child with autism and wouldn’t know what you have to deal with on a daily basis. I appreciate you sharing your rough day for your sweet boy and your perspective. It’s helpful for me to be aware of what other people go through and to be aware if there were a situation where I could possibly help by understanding what an Autistic person thinks and feels. Thanks, Calleen.
Thank you. That is one of many reasons for my blog.
Thank you for sharing this, Calleen! This really is such an informative post with a great example. Thank you for linking up over at GraceFull Tuesday!
Thank you for reading it. I appreciate it
Thank you for your post and for sharing so many essential facts about children with autism. It is hard for them to cope with what we see as “small” things. But, it sure helps to know that there are ways of dealing with them gently, but firmly to ensure that we also teach them how to cope with life. I think you are doing a fantastic job as a mom and you are also a great inspiration for many moms and dads out there who also like you, are always doing their best, in caring for their special kids. More power to you, Calleen!
Thank you so much! I just keep trying.
Oh no – how unfortunate for the alarm to go off while you were there. It must’ve been so difficult for him (and you). Struggling with change and unexpected situations is so difficult because life isn’t predictable and there are always so many variables and things that can change. It sounds like you both managed really well, though, all things considered. And I’m glad he got his books in the end. #blogcrush
Thank you. He managed really surprisingly well, especially considering the day he had been having. Thanks for stopping in and reading.
I totally understand what you go through and experience each day, as my nephew also has Autism. Children with Autism find it hard to adjust to noises and bright lights. Rather than being disappointed, try to cherish each moment spent with your boy. I know easier said than done. But hold on mommy, you are doing great. #twinklytuesday
Thank you.
As you said Callen, unexpected things happen sometimes and for people with autism, it’s difficult to overcome the unexpected disappointment. I think the key here is to understand and have patience. Your blog is very useful for the parents and others dealing with children who have autism. I am glad to found you through #MondayMusings linkup.
Thank you. That is one of the purposes for my blog.
Autism has always been something that isn’t spoken about often. It is something that I had never really understood. I read about it a lot more now and whilst I’m still learning, your description puts it in a way that we can understand. It must be very difficult for your son when something like this happens and as you say, things like this can’t be planned for. #ThatFridayLinky
Thank you for stopping in and reading and finding out more about Autism.
Thank you for sharing the reality. I would have never thought of a fire alarm and having to talk about that. My daughter struggles with disappointment and how to handle things. It is hard at times. Glad he was able to get his books. Working on a series on special needs and I have a question- How does the church help you or could they help you? Thanks,
Hi! Thanks for stopping by and reading. Here is a blog post I did on that very subject. There is also one I wrote that should be linked to this one on ideas to help families deal with church. https://anordinarymom.site/dear-fellow-church-members-how-you-can-help/