The road to the future can be unclear for autistic kids. My son wants to be a professional violinist, however, he can’t see the education, practice, and cost that come with reaching that goal. In his world, planning is something mom does.
Many of our children are visual learners. In early education, picture schedules help them transition and stay on task. Videos can help them prepare for an activity or a visit to a new place. In general, images can help them create a visual file to reference before their imagination develops, and that can reduce anxiety and uncomfortable situations.
My son doesn’t use picture schedules anymore, but visuals are still used to explain new topics. He is now 17 years old and introducing him to the world as an adult is challenging. There is a lot to cover; college, employment, travel, relationships, health, and safety. Yes, we have covered these in bits and pieces before, but we are approaching a time when the lessons will be put to the test.
One of the activities that I find helpful, especially at the beginning of the year, is to create a vision board. I create my own board and I guide him through choosing areas of his life he would like to grow, improve or explore. Visuals are a great way to help him see the end goal and the process needed to achieve it.
Vision boards can be created in many ways and kids are more likely to use them if it suits their particular style. Corkboards, poster boards, a regular letter-size sheet of paper with drawings, cutouts, or printed images are great. There is even an app! No surprise there.
Vision Board- Manifest dreams by Visualisation
Creating the vision board is your first step in helping your kiddo see the future. It will help you and your child focus on the goal and start talking about the process of achieving their dream. It’s a valuable lesson in growth, independence, organization, and taking action.
Taking action can be as simple as creating weekly or monthly steps to work toward the big payout. I’m providing you with a guide to help you and your child create a journey to success.
Keep in mind that it’s best to make the vision board achievable. Loading it up with goals can lead to disappointment if your kiddo gets overwhelmed. Most importantly, this activity should be fun and exciting!
Please send me a comment and a picture. I would love to see your board!
KO Project Support, LLC 