It may sound a bit odd to call a book about autism “Get Out, Explore and Have Fun.” After all, autism is a disorder – and for most parents, getting out and exploring is hardly the first priority. But the fact is that, while therapies and school are important, getting out and exploring the community with your child on the autism spectrum may be even more important.
Why?
There are a few big reasons, and a thousand smaller ones. The biggest reasons, of course, are your child; your family; and your community.
If you have a child with autism, you’re probably barraged with information about your child’s challenges… and you’ve probably heard very little about his abilities. But if think about it, your child with autism is being asked to learn in the world’s most difficult setting: school. He’s asked to work with words all day long – something that’s tough for every child on the autism spectrum.
In fact, though, we KNOW that people learn in many different ways – through their eyes, their hands, their ears… through music, and through their whole bodies. Plenty of researchers have done the work to prove it, and of course you already know all about non-verbal learning. No one TALKS swimming to death – they get in the pool and work on swimming skills. No one expects a musician to describe music – they just need to play, or sing. [This kinds of learning is called “informal education,” and there are journals of all sorts out there that document the reality that hands-on, bodies-on learning really works.
Your child with autism needs and deserves the opportunity to learn and express her abilities outside of school and outside of therapies. Maybe she’s wonderful with animals.Maybe she’s an outstanding visual artist. Maybe he can learn to play the piano. You’ll never know – and neither will your child – if you spend all your time in little rooms, practicing skills, language and behavior.
In fact, your child with autism may even become a real asset to organizations in the community. In writing my book, I’ve learned about kids on the spectrum who have become language tutors… winning athletes… and prize winning artists. my own son has become a solid clarinetist, and a member of the local advanced jazz band. These aren’t just make-work opportunities :our kids on the spectrum are authentically included in real-world programs, activities and events.
And what about you and the rest of your family? Many moms of children with autism and depressed, many marriages are stressed, and many siblings are frustrated because so much time, money and energy are spent on therapies – and on worry. But if you’re willing to take a little time to get out and explore as a family, you may it’s not as tough to have fun together as you thought.
Even if your child with autism can’t sit through a full-length play – yet - there’s a good chance he can enjoy a hike in the woods, an hour in the pool, or an afternoon at the beach. And there’s an excellent chance you can enjoy those things together.
Then there’s the community. How can the community benefit from opening the doors to your child with autism? There’s more in it for them than a feeling of having done the right thing. If your family decides they can enjoy the zoo together, won’t you be likely to become a member? If you’re impressed with the zoo’s willingness to support your child, you might even be interested in giving to the annual fund. And if the zoo decides to create a special program for kids on the spectrum, they may well be eligible for special grants. With autism at 1:100 kids, community groups can no longer afford to keep the doors closed – and that means the YMCA, the Boy Scouts, and many other groups are already out there creating better ways to make our kids welcome.
My new book, Get Out, Explore and Have Fun is a guide to finding, creating, supporting and even funding community opportunities for your child with autism and your family as a whole. You’ll find info, tips, and even materials to copy and share with coaches, instructors and clergy. I’ll be honest: authentic inclusion isn’t always easy, and it’s rarely worry-free. But when it works – and it will work – you’ll be astounded at what your child can learn, be, and do.
We started with a set of BBC videos created specifically to introduce viewers to each of several French impressionists - and we learned an awful lot about where the term "starving artist" came from. We read a children's book called Linnea in Monet's Garden. We read about the artists, finding books that included full-color prints. And, of course, we painted.
Most of what we did took place at home. But the Big Field Trip was a trip to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. There, in one of the museum's huge galleries, hangs the REAL Waterlilies... and over a dozen other original Monet's. There are Cassatts, Gaugins, Cezannes and Manets too - all of whose work Tom knew from the videos and books.
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