The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.
- Denis Waitley
Definitions
Autists - Collective noun for a group of autistic people
*Core Beliefs - These are the building blocks that you use to make you, you.
Neurotypical - An abbreviation of neurologically typical, is a neologism widely used in the autistic community as a label for people who are not on the autism spectrum.
Technology - Anything that has a screen and/or requires to plugged into a PowerPoint, excluding TV and DS
Quiet Time - As autists we must have a time and place to decompress after a big day. This has been scheduled after large events, and if required Dad or Emma will advise us of additional quiet time
Values - These are how we show to the world what our core beliefs are. Everybody’s are different
Our Household’s Values
By following these values we hope to instil a good work ethic, whilst also allowing you to grow from young children to fully functioning adults
Integrity
Being consistently honest and trustworthy.
Excellence
Trying to do our best every time we try.
Respect
Treating others and their things as if they were us and our own.
Responsibility
Being accountable for your acts to yourself, others and the environment.
Co-operation
Working together to achieve common goals.
Participation
Being a proactive and productive individual and group member, having pride in and contributing to the family.
Care
Concern for the wellbeing of yourself and others, demonstrating empathy and acting with compassion.
Fairness
Opposing prejudice, dishonesty and injustice.
Executive Function
Executive Functions include the ability to:
Set goals independently
Plan, organize, initiate, sequence, and monitor one’s behaviour
Develop and implement effective strategies for problem-solving or task completion
Inhibit impulsive responses and regulate emotional responses
Keep track of information in working memory
Coordinate complex tasks by maintaining attention, sequencing tasks, and organizing materials, physical space, thoughts and language
Efficiently retrieve stored information from memory when needed
Think in a flexible manner (cognitive flexibility)
Make judgments about the amount of time and effort needed for a task
Rules
General Rules
Treat yourself with kindness and respect. This also extends to your belongings
Treat others with kindness and respect. This also includes their belongings
Speak politely, and remember your manners when talking. Don’t interrupt - wait for your turn
Talking over the top of someone else and not waiting your turn to talk can be rude.
Please remember that too many voices can overwhelm
Try to remember your tone when talking to others
Bullying in any form is not a kind or thoughtful way to treat anyone. Words hurt people, sometimes more than being punched
Don’t go in somebody else’s bubble. Do not hit, punch, kick, bite etc
Stay off each other’s beds. Your bed is your space, and that is important
Please answer when an adult calls, even if to say, “I’m coming.”
When you are asked to do something by an adult, please do it straight away
Others are not here for your entertainment. If you are bored, annoying others is not kind.
When you are finished with something, put it away
Keep other rooms tidy. They are for everyone’s use. Put things back where they belong/where you found it
Technology
Times for technology are set so that we as adults manage a few different things to keep our day as a family or your day at school happening calmly. It is healthy only to have a few hours a day of technology
If you use all your tablet time in the morning, you will not get more in the afternoon unless earned. To earn it you must continually make responsible choices, as we need to work together as a family
You are not to ask excessively or harass an adult for more time. Continually asking will limit bonus time. The adults will decide this and it is a privilege
Bonus time is a privilege from positive behaviours and is awarded
If you wish to use a different technology, you trade your tablet time for it. For example, if you want to use the computer, you do so instead of tablet time
You must ask for TV time
TV time will be up to the adult. It is counted as separate to technology time
It is never ok to be on technology whilst eating
Technology is not to be used after breakfast until both of you are completely ready for school. Pestering the other is a red choice
There will be no technology or TV after dinner. This is to stop your natural melatonin levels from being destroyed. Cosmic Yoga is excluded from this rule
Tablets and technology should be turned off immediately when asked. Time will be allowed to save games/videos but must be asked for politely. Abusing this is a red choice
For the time being, DS will not be counted as tablet time. Abuse of this is a red choice and will result in this rule being removed
Screen jumping or technology jumping is a red choice and will end up in a severe consequence
You are allowed to use the printer without asking, however, be mindful of what you are printing so that we can take care of the environment
Schedule
To make it easier for everyone to know where we are going and what we are going to be doing, we have created a schedule to guide us through the day. We all agree that the schedule is only a guide and that we have to remain flexible for changes. Stephen and Emma have agreed that if there are any pending changes that they will give everyone in the household as much notice as possible.
Routines
School Days
Morning Routine
The following can be done in any order:
Brush teeth and hair
Get dressed with socks on
Put lunchbox and fruit container in bag
Morning Chores
Once you have finished this you may have tablet time until it is time to leave at 8:45am.
Afternoon Routine
Wash lunchbox and fruit container in the kitchen
Homework/Quiet time until 4pm
Free time for play or physical play from 4pm-6pm. For example, play with each otheror the Lincolns.
Technology/TV time 4pm -6pm
Shower/Bath time.
Brush hair.
Lilian to take melatonin
Dinner will usually be around 6:30pm unless otherwise advised by an adult
Brush teeth and get dressed into pyjamas ready for cosmic yoga/quiet time
Isabelle to take melatonin
Cosmic yoga/quiet time
Pull-ups on and Bed time at 7:30pm.
Weekend Routines
There is no set routine for the weekends. We all must be flexible in what we expect to achieve on the weekends. Advanced warning will be given by handwriting them onto the schedule located in the hallway.
Family Meetings
Family meetings will be held as needed. If you think that a family meeting is required, then please let us know what your problems are, and if Dad and Emma are unable to solve your problem then we will schedule a family meeting
Feedback Box
The family feedback box will be located on the table side of the kitchen bench. Feedback can
be any (but not limited to):
Someone who had done something nice
Something that you need more information on
Something that is broken
Something that you want to bring up at a family meeting
Food you like
Food you don’t like
Room Rules
Bathrooms
The bathrooms are a shared room for everyone in the house. If you use the bathroom, you need to attempt to leave it better then when you got there. If you see something that needs fixing or tidying it is responsible to clean it up. Remember it maybe you that has to use it next time.
If you have a shower, use a bath towel. It should be hung over the bath when you have finished using it.
Make sure you put your clothes away
Hang up your towels
Office
If you are watching TV in the office, you are to sit in the two lounge chairs
If using the computer, make sure that you leave the area how you found it. The computer is Emma’s and it is a privilege to use it. Make sure that you look after it
No painting in the office
No glue in the office
No nail polish in the office
Kitchen
Clean as you go
Make sure all food is put back when you are finished
Put your rubbish in the bin
Table
Put your dishes in the sink
When you have finished tidy up
Do not stack things on the boxes under the kitchen bench
Bedrooms
It is your responsibility to keep your bedroom clean and tidy. Failure to do this will have the consequence that the cleaner will not clean your room. It is expected that the room will be tidy before going to bed.
If you change clothes in the middle of the day, make sure that you put them into the laundry basket
There is to be no eating or drinking in the bedroom. This excludes water from your drink bottle
If you spill something on the carpet, make sure that you tell someone. Even if it is something that should not be in there we will not get cross about you spilling it. We just need to clean it up before it becomes a stain
No painting in the bedroom
No glue in the bedroom
No nail polish in the bedroom
As an autist your executive functioning is not as good as a neurotypical person. With this in mind, we have devised a system to allow you to locate your clothes. All clothes will be laid out in the format below. This will also help Stephen and Emma to also locate your clothes, if you cannot find them because our executive function is also not great
Meals
Breakfast
Everybody in the household is responsible for making and eating breakfast. Breakfast is an important meal, as it is a kick start for the day. We have a vast choice of breakfast items including:
Wheatbix
Cornflakes
Mueslie
Smoothies
Toast (you will need to ask for the toaster)
If you would like a drink you can have the following:
Juice
Water
Milk
Lunch
School Days
On school days Lilian is responsible for making her own lunch, recess, and fruit break. Emma will make Isabelle’s lunch but Isabelle is encouraged to help.
Non-School Days
On non-school says everyone is responsible for making their own lunch. If you need help with making it just ask a friendly adult.
Communication Style
