by Ellen Notbohm
I borrowed it from the Greenville County Library.
You can grab it on Amazon.
I am a problem-solver. In my career, I was moved into different and ever-challenging roles fairly quickly. As soon as I’d solved some problems or created some needed resources, the leadership team would move me somewhere else. Always more problems to be solved. Anytime I stepped into a new space, I started with analysis. I believe you must get a firm grip on the current state before you’re able to make changes or improvements.
When we started our homeschooling adventures, I was confident! I have a Bachelors Degree in youth programming (essentially any education outside the classroom… perfect!), patience for children, a love of experiential learning, and good organizational skills. And…. that all went right out the window when I realized this was a whole different ballgame, with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). I threw my summer-camp-style lesson plans in the trash, pared everything down to the bare minimum, and started studying.
In other words: It’s time to get a firm grip on the current state. Let’s start by knowing what we don’t know.
I bought and borrowed a whole stack of books, and I’ll be working my way through them and sharing insights week-by-week. We also are currently LOVING a book called “The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder” which Caleb is reading together with me and Cory.
I decided to start my reading with Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, partly because… it was the smallest book. So, I thought I could finish it quickly. Turns out, it was a perfect place to start because it’s it’s an awesome introduction to HOW to think about your child and autism. I HIGHLY recommend this book as a starting point for parents, teachers, youth development professionals, camp counselors, anyone else who is a non-professional in special education or developmental healthcare, but works with any children in any capacity.
It’s a quick read - it almost reads like a long blog post, which makes sense, because a blog post was the origin of the concept. It’s a perfect mix of science/health background + mindset approach for parents + life story/memoir + practical advice. Overall, it helps you see into the world of a child with autism spectrum disorder and how you can be a support.
Here’s an overview of the 10 chapters:
I am first and foremost a child
My sensory perceptions are disordered
Distinguish between won’t and can’t
I am a concrete thinker. I interpret language literally
Be patient with my limited vocabulary
Because language is so difficult for me, I am very visually oriented
Focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can’t do
Help me with social interactions
Identify what triggers my meltdowns
Love me unconditionally
Maybe my favorite part of the book, because it was such a joyful moment in reading: the book ends with a “Forward”.
The author says, “The ‘forward’ typically comes at the beginning of a book, and this is the part that’s supposed to be called the ‘conclusion.’ But our trek is not typical. And we are really closer to the beginning than the end of the adventure, so it seems more appropriate to continue to look forward and ahead, past the last page.”
I just love that.