Five tips to help an autistic child cope with masking after school

 If you have an autistic child who's been to school, here are a few tips to help them when they are home.

1. Have an area or room where your child can unwind and relax without any disturbances.

2. If your autistic child looks tired or stressed (can be both after having masked), let them relax in their own room.

3. If they want to stim or have fun with their special interests, let them.

4. When they are relaxed, then ask them if they have homework and when it has to be done by. Plan when they can do this.

5. Have a planner to hand to book these slots.

Here is a book that you can read all about autistic masking.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Helping-Identify-Understand-Autism-Masking/dp/B0858WJW2M/ref=sr_1_11?tag=juliedayautho-21

I hope you have found this helpful.

Asperger's and pacing myself

There are ways that Aspies can help themselves to not get so tired and end up having shutdowns. I have already said that I often take a nap in the afternoon. That is one way.

Someone else called it 'energy accounting' I call it pacing myself. I try to pace myself with going out. I don't go out twice in a day (or try not to), I try not to go out every day of the week, and have at least 1 or 2 days when I stay in and do other things that I like doing eg writing/typing or helping my mum in the garden and feed the birds.

It helps a lot that I am at home now and not working. I can do what I want when I want to, and that includes having a nap. And like today, if my head goes all funny and light because I have done too much, I can stop what I am doing and go to bed. Now that I have rested my head, I feel a bit more myself.

So, if you do work at home, try to have a nap during the day. You will find it will recharge your brain and body. Try to go out only when needed.

What's the worst thing about Asperger's every day

Someone asked me what's the worst thing abut having Asperger's in every day life. My answer is getting so tired after going out.

I never really knew that I got tired at the end of the day until my mum told me that I was after work, which was why she always let me relax while she made the dinner.

I do get tired, very much so, after going out shopping or meeting people. I never knew why but since I have been reading and learning about Asperger's and autism, I have found out the probable reason. I just thought it was the travelling, and also my heart problem (I have a hole in the heart) but I have come to think it's more than that. It's the whole Aspie experience of communicating, fitting in with others, acting as if you're normal and all the sensory challenges I can come across eg the noise and lights.

Take the morning I drafted this post. I had a meeting with my client. I was so tired that apart from this post, I didn't write anything except this and a status on Facebook. The whole morning exhausted me.

Thankfully, as I work from home, I can have a nap in the afternoon if I want to, and most days I do. I find it recharges my brain and body. If I don't get a proper nap or no nap at all, then I stay tired for the rest of the day, and can become grumpy and miserable.

So, if you have an autistic child and they are tired at the end of the day, let them be themselves and do what they want to, if it's going to their bedroom to rest. They need to recharge their brain and body and get back to normal calmness.