Autism and hobbies and interests

Here is a rough guide how parents and teachers and other guardians can help children with autism use their special interests.

Subjects: Art, science, music, craft, maths

Skills: Drawing, creating, writing, making, numbers

Knowledge: Birds, pictures, tunes, plants, patterns

Encourage the child to work on related activities to do with their interest. Eg if it is music, they can draw instruments, write their own tunes, write a guide, photograph things. Go to places of interest and learn about music. Join groups of same interest. Play the music instruments.

All these can help the child to socialise and not be alone all the time. They can also learn more and get educated. It could later on become a career.

So, what about me? Well, I liked writing stories at school. English, as it was known then, was my favourite lesson despite being bullied. And look what I do know – I am an author writing for adults and children.

This is a brief guide to a full book I have planned to write about hobbies and interests for children with autism, as part of the Rainbow School guide series and 'Learn about autism'.

Writing diary - Week 3

Here is how I am going.

Saturday - Author biz content day. I was going to go to the first RNA London meeting of the year, but had so much going on during the week I chose not to go. So I worked on content instead. I continued working on m client's picture book stories. I also wrote and typed up more exercises for the writing exercise ebook I am planning to publish, hopefully, later this year. I also had time later in the day to work on the pocket novel. Word count is now 45,219.

Sunday - Worked on the pocket novel and short story.

Monday - Was due to meet author client but he postponed the day before due to snow. So in the morning I had to take something to the hospital then went on to shopping. Had time to work on the pocket novel - word count is now 45,248. Finished editing the short story.

Tuesday - Had first blood test of the week this morning. Getting used to needles now. Typed up new Xmas story. Word count is 494 words.

Wednesday - Author biz day. Worked on finishing my client's picture ebooks, inc adding activities that children can do that are related to the stories. Wrote up in a pad the list of the ebooks that will be in the series. Also, emailed my lists with newsletter about tenses with an exercise. Later on I worked on the pocket novel as getting so near to the end of it. Word count is now 45,487.

Thursday - Had second blood test of the week. (This one for the hospital and my IBS). Worked on pocket novel, Wrote more of the Xmas story now called 'The Magic Wand'. I also emailed a letter to Writing Magazine about retreats.

Friday (today) - No blood tests! Hurrah. Finished a new chapter I started writing for the pocket novel. This concludes the sub plot in it. Wrote more of the Xmas story. Later I shall type up more of the PN.