Every month, I fill out a blank calendar sheet for Kieran and his provider. Nearly every month, Kieran adds activities of which I was unaware. He has a busy life! This month, I was reminded of a story another mother told me, which drove home the power of the calendar in the lives of many with Autism. Her son was largely non-verbal. He had a passion for eating at McDonald’s. To assuage his anxiety and to reassure him that he would get his weekly fix, she took to writing “McDonald’s” on the calendar. One day, she noticed that he had added “Disney World” to the calendar. He found a way to communicate what he wanted. She began planning a trip, working with him to change the date on the calendar to coincide with her reservations.
Calendars not only help to organize our lives, they also serve as a valuable resource to deal with anticipation, anxiety, and transitions. Placing an event on a calendar makes it more concrete. It lets our families know about upcoming changes in the daily routine. It helps to organize our lives (teaching a crucial executive function). For such a simple, low-tech tool, it packs a lot of punch!
A calendar is also a great way to count down to an anticipated event. Advent calendars have long been used to help children understand when Christmas is coming. Of course, the year Kieran opened all the doors on the calendar on December 3rd did nothing to hurry up the holiday! I’m not sure I can define that as a learning experience, but certainly, he enjoyed the immediate gratification in the form of Legos!
Most of you will recall that I occasionally mention some of the daily holidays and observances just for fun. For example, September 5 is “Bring Your Manners to Work Day.” Perhaps this could spark a conversation about what it means to bring your manners to school and a plan of implementation. September 9th is “National When Pigs Fly Day” – a prompt for discussing idioms. On September 25th, “National Quesadilla Day” is a great excuse for a simple supper! It is always amazing to me what has its own day – check it out HERE.Wishing you a wonderful September!
Kathi J. Machle, President, Autism Society of Ohio