Following directions the first time

[Guest guest]

My son is six (pddnos) and has made tremendous progress. He’s

very verbal, although delayed in social/pragmatics. The one big problem that

we have, though, is getting him to follow directions at the first command. In

other words, right now it takes several times (2+) and I’m sure it could

go on is I didn’t step in and get him to do it hand-over-hand. I’m

not asking him to do anything that he isn’t able to do.

Here’s an example: “Please go get in the car”

(I’m standing right behind him, holding my purse and baby). He will then

go kick the football, walk a little bit down the driveway to peer at the

neighbor, here’s where I’m saying again “Get in the car,

please”, then he’ll come get in the car, stand on the running board

and ask me a few questions like “Where’s Sierra (the neighbor)?”

or “Do you see that airplane?”. By this time I’m back out of

the car putting him in.

Here’s another example: After taking a bath I hand

him a towel and say “Wipe the water off your legs.” He curls up

and lies on the floor. I ask again and proceed to pick him up. He lies right

back down. I realize that he might be a little bit cold getting out of the

water, but in less than two minutes he’s out there running around in his

underwear.

So, any suggestions on training him to follow directions the

first time (or am I overreacting)?

In

raising my children I have lost my mind but found my soul. -

Shepherd

[Guest guest]

-

Hi There!

I have 2 sons(PDD) and I have found it very helpful

in getting them to follow instructions(stuff they

can do) by preparing them mentally for the change

that's coming, because if it's something they can do,

i expect them to do it after i tell them. otherwise,

they learn to wait for the third request.

So... try this. BEFORE you take him out of the bath,

as per your example, tell him " we're going to be

finishing here in the water, and then we get out and

dry our arms and legs. Ooh... and then we get

dressed, so we stay warm and cozy after the bath etc)

YOu let him know what's coming, and prepare him

as often and early as he needs, but when it's time

to do it, that's it. It might take a few trys, cause

he's already use to " resisting " so hang in there,

My older son has to make a 6:45 bus every morning,

and I get him up,very early with a song and a smile and we

wake up slow and eat something(if he's chewing,he's

already on his way) then I open shades, so slowly the

day creeps in, his knapsack is by the door,i am

actually drawing his attention to the outside. I talk

about, after this broadcast we get dressed, after

this cartoon (or whatever) we make again(bathroom)before

the bus etc.I talk about whats on schedule at school,

I put a bag of garbage by the door, he

loves to take that to the can and he is out the door

with the garbage and then he's already there for the bus.

i use lots of little tricks to redirect his behavior

it's so much easier than the discipline stuff, most

of his bad behaviors are not intentional or pre-

meditated, so instead of focusing on all the negative

behavior i praise the positive bahavior and try to

avoid getting into conflicts with him. it's alot of

work, to be one-on-one with them but it's still so

much more productive and giving them attention for

negative behavior. You

can also try stimulating his behavior by telling him

whoever is first in the car gets a treat etc. and

little crackers, mints etc help him to behave too.

GOOD LUCK

-- In autism , " H. "

<amheartfield@...> wrote:

>

> My son is six (pddnos) and has made tremendous progress. He's

very verbal,

> although delayed in social/pragmatics. The one big problem that

we have,

> though, is getting him to follow directions at the first command.

In other

> words, right now it takes several times (2+) and I'm sure it could

go on is

> I didn't step in and get him to do it hand-over-hand. I'm not

asking him to

> do anything that he isn't able to do.

>

> Here's an example: " Please go get in the car " (I'm standing right

behind

> him, holding my purse and baby). He will then go kick the

football, walk a

> little bit down the driveway to peer at the neighbor, here's where

I'm

> saying again " Get in the car, please " , then he'll come get in the

car, stand

> on the running board and ask me a few questions like " Where's

Sierra (the

> neighbor)? " or " Do you see that airplane? " . By this time I'm back

out of

> the car putting him in.

>

> Here's another example: After taking a bath I hand him a towel

and say

> " Wipe the water off your legs. " He curls up and lies on the

floor. I ask

> again and proceed to pick him up. He lies right back down. I

realize that

> he might be a little bit cold getting out of the water, but in

less than two

> minutes he's out there running around in his underwear.

>

> So, any suggestions on training him to follow directions the first

time (or

> am I overreacting)?

>

>

>

>

>

> In raising my children I have lost my mind but found my soul. -

> Shepherd

>

[Guest guest]

Will try focusing on these things as

well. Thanks for the suggestions.

From: autism [mailto:autism ] On Behalf Of mayelouise

Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006

11:26 PM

autism

Subject: Re:

Following directions the first time

-

Hi There!

I have 2 sons(PDD) and I have found it very helpful

in getting them to follow instructions(stuff they

can do) by preparing them mentally for the change

that's coming, because if it's something they can do,

i expect them to do it after i tell them. otherwise,

they learn to wait for the third request.

So... try this. BEFORE you take him out of the bath,

as per your example, tell him " we're going to be

finishing here in the water, and then we get out and

dry our arms and legs. Ooh... and then we get

dressed, so we stay warm and cozy after the bath etc)

YOu let him know what's coming, and prepare him

as often and early as he needs, but when it's time

to do it, that's it. It might take a few trys, cause

he's already use to " resisting " so hang in there,

My older son has to make a 6:45 bus every morning,

and I get him up,very early with a song and a smile and we

wake up slow and eat something(if he's chewing,he's

already on his way) then I open shades, so slowly the

day creeps in, his knapsack is by the door,i am

actually drawing his attention to the outside. I talk

about, after this broadcast we get dressed, after

this cartoon (or whatever) we make again(bathroom)before

the bus etc.I talk about whats on schedule at school,

I put a bag of garbage by the door, he

loves to take that to the can and he is out the door

with the garbage and then he's already there for the bus.

i use lots of little tricks to redirect his behavior

it's so much easier than the discipline stuff, most

of his bad behaviors are not intentional or pre-

meditated, so instead of focusing on all the negative

behavior i praise the positive bahavior and try to

avoid getting into conflicts with him. it's alot of

work, to be one-on-one with them but it's still so

much more productive and giving them attention for

negative behavior. You

can also try stimulating his behavior by telling him

whoever is first in the car gets a treat etc. and

little crackers, mints etc help him to behave too.

GOOD LUCK

-- In autism ,

" H. "

<amheartfield@...> wrote:

>

> My son is six (pddnos) and has made tremendous progress. He's

very verbal,

> although delayed in social/pragmatics. The one big problem that

we have,

> though, is getting him to follow directions at the first command.

In other

> words, right now it takes several times (2+) and I'm sure it could

go on is

> I didn't step in and get him to do it hand-over-hand. I'm not

asking him to

> do anything that he isn't able to do.

>

> Here's an example: " Please go get in the car " (I'm

standing right

behind

> him, holding my purse and baby). He will then go kick the

football, walk a

> little bit down the driveway to peer at the neighbor, here's where

I'm

> saying again " Get in the car, please " , then he'll come get in

the

car, stand

> on the running board and ask me a few questions like " Where's

Sierra (the

> neighbor)? " or " Do you see that airplane? " . By this

time I'm back

out of

> the car putting him in.

>

> Here's another example: After taking a bath I hand him a towel

and say

> " Wipe the water off your legs. " He curls up and lies on

the

floor. I ask

> again and proceed to pick him up. He lies right back down. I

realize that

> he might be a little bit cold getting out of the water, but in

less than two

> minutes he's out there running around in his underwear.

>

> So, any suggestions on training him to follow directions the first

time (or

> am I overreacting)?

>

>

>

>

>

> In raising my children I have lost my mind but found my soul. -

> Shepherd

>