You know when you’re not in the mood to talk or do much, but you’ve planned to meet up with someone, and you think…
I don’t want to go.
But you’ll feel bad if you cancel.
This is exactly why I like low maintenance people.
One of my favourite times with my friend Georgia was when she came over to my place. We ate cakes, drank tea then watched David Attenborough (legend!) in total silence!
I loved that we could do that and nothing felt awkward.
No need for shallow, ‘fill in’ chat.
That polite ‘for the sake of it’ chat really annoys me.
Sometimes it’s lovely to ‘just be’ and if I can do that with a friend that’s a massive bonus for me.
And it’s similar to children with autism, but more complex…
Too much chat is little more than just an annoyance…
Autistic children can be triggered and become totally overwhelmed by too much language, sending them into meltdown.
Talking for the sake of talking, can actually cause a lot of stress to your child.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t speak to them and just leave them be…
But be selective with the language you use.
If you say something to your child and you don’t get a response, leave a pause to give them time to take in what you’ve said.
And if they still do not answer… no matter how tempting… do not repeat yourself.
See if you can word it slightly differently or save this conversation for later.
Knowing how is best to interact with autistic children can be really difficult.
It’s all about understanding how they think and their needs.
While you’re here…
Very soon I’m launching a brand new program for parents and carers who want my 1 on 1 support encouraging the development of their child with autism.
If you want to be one of the first to hear about it, click the link below and put yourself on the priority notification list.
Join the priority notification list here
Speak with you soon, until then
Live every moment, Love beyond words and make a difference today…
Emma Ottaway
The Ambitious Autism Ambassador
