Family Stories and Tips
This Week's Tips:
How have you effectively encouraged your child to develop peer relationships?
Having a sister close to him in age has helped a lot, but one of the things we did that made a huge difference was getting together with children he had contact with in school or the community. Setting up situations where he could do what he loved, and enjoy it with a peer has been key. This could be meeting kids he had contact with at play grounds, or inviting children over to play. We try to schedule small "parities" for lesser holidays like Halloween, end of the school year, or others. The parties usually encourage kids to come- then once he has a successful contact with the child outside of school, he makes more effort in school to be their friend. I don't know if it helps with confidence, or it just convinces him that playing with that particular child is fun- but he makes more effort.
- Mother, Lives in Michigan
- Child: Son; 7 years old; Diagnosis: Autism; Age at Diagnosis: 3 years old;