PERSONAL NARRATIVE
to break it down. No wonder our kids are frustrated,
we’re speaking in all sorts of funny phrases that don’t
make any sense to them. Once I made the connection, I’ve noticed that there is a lot less frustration in
our household. Of course I don’t always remember.
Recently I hung a basketball hoop over a trash can
in hopes that my son would actually enjoy throwing
his trash away (yes, this is an ongoing battle in my
household). One day we were cleaning and I asked
him to “put his trash through the hoop.” After he did,
I looked over only to find the trash can had been
moved about two feet to the left and my son’s trash
was lying on the floor directly beneath the hoop
which he had thrown his trash through. I couldn’t be
mad; he did exactly what I asked him to do. I did laugh
hysterically for about ten minutes after. Nobody is
perfect, and miscommunication between you and
your child will happen. Frustration will happen. Trash
all over the floor will happen. What will also happen
is an increase in effective communication the more
you put yourself in your child’s head and realize what
it is that you literally just said. Overcoming these ob-
stacles is what is important, and your child will be
far less frustrated if you slow down to make sure he
or she understands. Whenever you are talking with
your child, just stop to think about whether or not
you forgot to mention the knife, and you will find
that communicating can actually be just as simple as
making a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
By day, Kim Nguyen is the Assistant Manager of a
hotel in Orlando, Florida, but when she is not at
work she is spending time with her seven-year-old
son and her nine-year-old stepson who are both on
the autism spectrum. Prior to her son’s birth, Kim
had no experience with autistic children and has
spent the last several years learning how to effectively parent a child with autism, simply by trial and
error. Knowing firsthand the struggle involved in
finding resources, she would like to share her own
stories in hopes that her experiences will offer support and reassurance to other parents facing some
of the same difficulties she has met in her own
household.
ASCme I.T.
If there was one new technology that could help people with autism, what would it be?
The ASCme I.T. app allows people with Autism Spectrum
Conditions (ASC), and those who support them, to share
their ideas on what kind of technology could help people
with autism.
Using the app, you can make a one minute video to
explain your idea. Your video will then be used for
research into technology and how it can help people with
Autism Spectrum Conditions.
For more information and to download
the free app visit www.ascme-it.org.uk