Skip to main content

How to deal with an Autistic teenager?

When a child suffering from autism reaches teenage years, you may see numerous undesirable changes in their behavior, making you anxious and worried as a parent. The truth is, the changing behavior has nothing to do with autism but the fact that they are becoming teenagers! Apart from getting rebellious, a big challenge with many teens is that they become moody, un-communicative, and refuse to spend time with their parents. When tweens with autism hit puberty, they undergo similar hormonal changes. Thus, they may become even more moody, non-communicative, and unpredictable.

As an educator and a homeschooling parent, it is important that you know a few important facts to make the journey easy for you and your teen:

  1. Like any other teen, they may demand more freedom. If the child needs schedule, give them more control over their schedule. Letting them have their own way sometimes will help you establish a better rapport with your child.
  2. Teens with autism will need a greater amount of external support from family in the form of frequently checking their assignment books to ensure they are filling out correctly, and breaking down their projects into smaller snippets, with a deadline for every step.
  3. Teens with autism will need more direction in other areas, particularly understanding sexual development and puberty. Many experts urge parents to start teaching their students about puberty early to ensure that they are prepared before they get unnecessarily alarmed about natural body changes that happen during this time.
  4. Some children may need constant reminders about hygiene. They might not understand the concept of grooming for social acceptance, or they may not have any motivation to look or smell clean.
  5. A lot of teens with ASD have to fight with social isolation. They want to be accepted by people. One of the best ways to ensure that the teen has positive social interaction is to get them involved in group activities they are interested in, to connect them with other people. For instance, an interest in gaming is often a great way for teenagers to connect with each other.
Even though adolescence and autism together can be a turbulent mix, with just a few strategies, you can make the teen years a time for positive growth. It is tough to bring up a child suffering from ASD but if you remain patient you can traverse through the difficult teenage home schooling years successfully and help your child fit in with the society. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The significance of field trips when homeschooling

A significant part of the learning process is taking your children out to pursue learning opportunities, especially if you are a homeschooling parent. After all, academic knowledge amounts to nothing if it is not applied to the real world. In case you are searching for tips to help your children learn when on a field trip, then here are a few ideas that can help in enriching their knowledge on a range of different subjects. Thecountry’s administration and its history: Spend a day at the museum: there are so many museums in Canada and it is likely that there are at least a few of them close to your house. Take you children there and spend you day bringing all their history lessons into life. Take your child out to see the local police and fire station. This way, the little ones learn more about how municipal workers work and how they react to emergencies. Teach them how the mailing system works at the post office. Make them write letters, then visit the local post o...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to homeschool a teenager?

There is no doubt that teaching a teen or a high school student can be the most nerve wracking. Thankfully, it is not as difficult as you think it to be. In fact, as teenagers have a stronger sense of logic, if taught patiently, they can be the easiest to teach. Here are some tips that can assist you get started! 1. Planning the entire year For ensuring a smooth and easy homeschooling journey, begin with a lot of planning! Start looking at high school curriculums as early as possible. Keep your eyes open for anything related to high school homeschooling from as early as 7 th grade. 2. Choosing electives Electives are an important part of high school. Electives assist children in discovering subjects that are outside of their core subjects. Start by creating a detailed list of electives options for your child. Sit down with your teen and try to narrow down the list by choosing the ones that will really suit their interests, fulfill their high school requirements, and w...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to create a positive learning enviroment in your house?

A nurturing and positive learning environment is very important irrespective of where the education of the child takes place. Here are a few practical tips that can help homeschoolers offer an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Set a specific area for classes While some children like to study in silence other like it when others are within their close vicinity. While some families have big houses that offer space for dedicated learning, others integrate their study area in the common living room of their house. No matter the size of the space, make sure the rooms are well lit, clean, orderly and distraction free. Have a positive attitude within the house Attitudes and moods can be infectious, so it is important that you keep any negativity aside – whether it is tension, anger or impatience – before entering the home classroom. Little children are expectedly perceptive and can pick up on attitudes easily. Establish daily goals that are practical and reali...
Post a Comment
Read more