Our Days

Two posts in one day!  Yup, there was just two much for one post without it becoming too long and meandering.

I wanted to share what our days are typically like, and some not so typical days.  For example, yesterday we did school work, but we also went and spent a large chunk of the day with family.  One of the nice things about homeschooling is its flexibility.  And I'm using that flexibility to break Mark of his fixation on absolute schedules - again.  So far, honestly, he hasn't had much trouble with it now that his days don't exist as a rigid schedule.

So, the atypical day, using yesterday as an example.  We got up early.  Before breakfast Mark changed the calendar and put the date on the whiteboard.  After breakfast we did handwriting exercises.  Those were coloring (holding the crayon correctly), building letters on the magnet board, and geoboard.  Then we showered and went to meet family.  While with family, Mark did puzzles on the XOOM, about 10 of them.  And that was really the only task he did during any of that time.  After we got home, about 6 hours later, we sat down and did reading.  Then about a half hour later, we did Word ID and spelling.  After dinner we did Math.  It was a very busy day, yet we got everything in.

Today most things will be done by time kids get out of school.  We started with reading and Word ID.  Then after a break, we did Calendar, Spelling, Handwriting, and Word Building.  After lunch we'll do Math.  And probably more Handwriting.  And later in the afternoon, we'll do our safety walk and Science (magnets).  In between all of this Mark will play outside or in his room.  And he's doing good with this.

Now, we don't typically do the same things at the same time, or in the same order, every day.  I will tell Mark what we are doing beforehand, and sometimes set a timer, but I am not keeping things the same.  For multiple reasons.

The first reason is because we spent a lot of time, when Mark was younger, making sure that he wasn't fixated on schedules or specific procedures.  This is a problem for most children with autism and we didn't want it to be a problem for him.  Unfortunately, in the last couple of years it has popped up as a problem.  Mark became resistant to any changes in what he perceived as his regular schedule.  He also became resistant to going to new places.  Fortunately, this seems to have been a relatively quickly fixed issue.  He is now typically happy to go places and handles the "randomness" like a champ.  He now only has issues with going out if we have been running around a lot for two days.  On the third day he won't want to go, but he does if necessary and is good.  But I can't blame him.  Two days with lots of running around is my limit as well.  And while school can be scheduled around trips, the trips make us more tired.  Well, except for swimming. 

The second reason is because I want to see if a task is easier for Mark to concentrate on at a different time of day.  For example, does he do better at reading first thing in the morning or after lunch or just before bedtime?  So far I haven't found any patterns there but if something pops up then I'll try to use it to help him.

The third reason is because Mark needs to learn to do the tasks when and where asked.  So if we are at Grandpa's house, he still needs to do the task.  If we are at the grocery store, he still needs to do the task.  Ect.  This helps Mark in a number of ways.  Most importantly, it teaches him that the skills he is learning are to be used everywhere.  And it also teaches him that he needs to do the task regardless of who is present, and regardless of what time it is.  Eventually I'll start asking others to request tasks from him so that we can get him doing tasks regardless of who is asking.

But all in all we have typical days and easily get through our school work.  And that's a good thing for both of us.