Patterns

Children like routine.  Children
with autism demand it.


Folk tales and fairy tales reflect
this love of predictability.
Often the story repeats itself.
Three sons go off on a quest,
one at a time. A princess
wears out three pairs of
iron shoes. She bribes
her husband's captor
with three gifts, and spends
three nights talking with
him.


For our kids with autism,
the world of human behavior
seems even more 
incomprehensible
than it does to the rest of us.
The satisfaction of knowing
what is likely to happen
next starts in picture
books (my thanks to Sarah
who noted pattern as an
appeal of Napping House
to her grandson) and 
continues for life.


We may like surprises,
but we must be able to
predict first, otherwise
every moment is a surprise.

My oldest son loves the comfort
of the Trit Trot, Trit, Trot
and only after five years
is now experimenting with
saying  "trit" to drive his 
four year old brother crazy.
Both endlessly act out
Billy Goats Gruff and
Three Little Pigs.


Sometimes, oldies are
goodies. 


-Spectrum Mom