It’s Working!
Here is what I have done, I have revamped school again. I rearranged the school rooms the way I wanted them in the first place, two years ago, but second guessed myself and thought that it wouldn’t work. It does work! It is also a much more peaceful place. I used some of the ideas in the books I have been reading and made the school rooms pretty limited with decorative items on the walls. I actually took Daniel around the rooms and asked him if he wanted the pictures up or down and he told me which ones he wanted and which ones he didn’t want. I have made schedules, a daily schedule and a school schedule with pictures. I am using black and white ones now because I wanted to see if it worked but what I did was printed out pictures of Daniel, Ariel and Joshua actually doing whatever it is that I need for the schedule.
I have pictures of them doing school from last year so I have used them.
They are working very well and now that the actual pictures are mixed in with the clip art pictures Daniel has been able to visualize himself doing them. I also found chore charts at Target for $1.00 each and printed out pictures of chores, how much they are worth and a tally sheet under each of them so they can see the amount of money they have earned. Also in each denomination so they can see how many $.25, $.50, $1.00 etc… they have earned to help them with some math skills. I placed Velcro on each picture so as they get older I can change the pictures of certain chores or add different ones as they are capable.
These seem to really help Daniel and Ariel has now turned into a tyrant about following the schedule. 
I decided to try something else new also, to try to help us get through school days without as many rough patches or these guys loosing interest. Ariel loves school and will go all day but the boys, well it takes a lot more effort to keep them into doing it. My plan? Well I decided that we would get up and get ready as if to go to a “real” school. We have to have breakfast, teeth-brushed, clothes on and waiting on the bus by 8:30 am. (We are doing good at 8:45 or a little later but it’s a goal.) Then I put on my bus driver hat and get into my pretend bus, driving around the house while Daddy is waiting at the bus stop with the kids. I pick them up and we go to the front rooms, that is our school and they are greeted by “Miss Angel” their teacher. It took a little while for Daniel to comprehend but he gets it now and thinks it is great. They all love it. They raise their hands and say “excuse me, Miss Angel”. I think it is a great way to help with the imaginary play.
They seem to have a different respect for me as well while I bear the name “Miss Angel”.
This has been going very well, along with the schedules it has made a huge difference for Daniel in his school day. He has completed all of his work each day, has been sitting still and listening. He has been asking me if he can go get a toy instead of just running off and leaving us with no explanation, he is even coming back and sitting with us again. The other day he was fixated on a toy and I couldn’t get him to stop so I decided to use the toy. We were creating things out of geometric shapes, Daniel wouldn’t join us so I asked if I could see his toy, reluctantly he did let me see and I suggested he use it to create something with the shapes. I then started it for him and he said “No, mom I do it”. And he did, for the remainder of that time he created things on his toy while we created things on the floor and ready-made design sheets. I am now recognizing when he has hit his limit with work and I just wrap up school for all of them at that point.
I do a pretty scheduled school in the morning and then after lunch I go with the kind of Montessori method.
I basically just read my kids, their moods, their interests, and then I use those things to push them and guide them. If they want more, I give them more, if they are tired of doing something, then we quit. Trying to force them is not good for any of us. I am really pleased with the results for all of us. We are all much calmer and enjoying ourselves much more. I do know that it will probably change and that nothing is set in stone. However, I am amazed at how much Daniel has been so receptive after changing the schedules to actual pictures of them doing things. I tried before and gave up on picture schedules because he would look at them and stare. I would explain it to him and he did not want anything to do with them. What I have been doing is using verbal schedules and then showing him pictures of the actual thing we were doing or where we were going.
I noticed he was much more responsive to this.
By doing that, adding the social skill curriculum which involve video and pictures, I ultimately came to the conclusion that I should do picture schedules as well using our own pictures. The social curriculum’s are doing wonders. Daniel has started talking much more and having conversations with David, Ariel, Joshua and myself. My mother came and took him out for a little while the other day and she said he talked to her the whole time. He asked me what exclamations points were, what periods were and why were they at the end of sentences. I have to tell you that is another thing that I never expected. There are times when I come to the point of thinking his form of communication is not going to include talking to us and then he pulls things like that out of no where. He amazes me every time. I am thankful to have him use his words.
I am also very thankful that he is beginning to be able to express his feelings.
Since the social curriculum, he has started to comprehend some of the things he is feeling and able to tell us what upset him. The social curriculum has helped all of us. I am learning just as much about my feelings and how other people express theirs as the kids are. Who would have thought a singing dog could help me to understand that “It’s ok when things don’t go my way”. LOL! It’s not just a singing dog, we are using some pretty great resources that I have already written about in my post Social Skills and Autism Learning Helps . I also know that many boys who have Asperger’s tend to show improvement by the age of 6. Daniel will be 6 in a couple of months and I believe this past year has been very crucial for him to learn to communicate and for us to understand his way of learning, communicating and expressing himself to help him be able to communicate with us as well.
Actually, every year will be crucial, I am still learning how to live in this world.
