No Matter What

During a health emergency, lots of things are different, and schedules and routines can constantly change—but it can help to remind children that many things stay the same. Being able to count on certain predictable routines can give us all a sense of security and help us feel steadier! It can be helpful for parents to have helpful strategies on hand for navigating change. Consider these tips as you read this autism-friendly storybook:

• Start by taking a “picture walk” through the story and just let your child look at the pictures. Then read the story together.
• To reinforce the idea that children do lots of the same things as Julia, ask questions such as, “Do you brush your teeth, too? What other things do we do every day?”
• Pantomime what you see (for instance, pretend to brush your teeth or eat an apple).
• Ask your child silly questions about the pictures, like “Do we brush our teeth with a banana?”
• Look at the Muppet’s faces and help children name their feelings (happy, calm, excited, playful, interested, and so on). Try making those faces yourselves. What are some other feelings you can both show on your faces (sad, silly, tired, angry)?
• Help your child draw a picture of one of their favorite activities that they can do every day. Everyone else in the family can draw a picture, too. Display them as a reminder that, just like in Julia’s family, everyone can still do something they love every day… no matter what.
• Introduce a new routine to do at a certain time every day or night. For instance, you might sing a song together before a family meal, wake children up in a special way (such as three kisses on the forehead), or stretch together before bedtime.