What Would It Be Like Having an Autistic Child Who’s 6-11 Years Old?
Recently, I posted an article about what it might be like to be a parent of an autistic child for the first five years. Today I'd like to continue the series into the next stage of life, between 6-11 years of age. So what would it be like to have an autistic child between 6-11 years old?
What Would It Be Like Having an Autistic Child Who’s 6-11 Years Old: 6 Years Old and Full of Energy
Finally through the heartbreak of the first 5 years, this kiddo is primed to explore everything. Autistic kids are often way more energetic which means that traditional school can be a nightmare. Social skills are also in desperate need because having friends is highly important, maybe more so than peers who are not autistic/neurodivergent.
Friends can offer safety and aid in case your child is being picked on by students or staff. When looking for friends, your child may not be the best judge of character and may believe the children who pick on them are their friends. This is part of the stranger danger which autistics are often left cruely wide open for. Teaching your child to watch how other kids talk about them to them or others is the difference between forming healthy relationships for the rest of their lives.
What Would It Be Like Having an Autistic Child Who’s 6-11 Years Old: Year 7
Hopefully, by now we have at minimum 1 solid friend and a supportive IEP. If the school doesn't work, don't fight your child. Instead research other options (some do better in homeschool while others might need private) which fit your child's needs. You are your chold’s advocate and with an army of doctors/therapists, you know what works best. The key to a successful autistic child is making the world adjust to your child's needs. A supported autistic child can graduate highschool at 13 why force them to wait until 18 because it's normal?
At 7, your bright eyed child needs stimulation without overstimulation. This is a great time to invest in museums and art gallery trips which offer quiet places of reflection. Parks are a great way to get some zoom time for your little zoomer. Investing in an electric bike for yourself and taking bike trips to the store or appointments might make things a bit smoother than cars. Not only are you giving a positive outlet for all that energy, you're also teaching important road safety skills which your child will use for the rest of their life. When they have learned how to ride their own bike, they can ride with you on their own.
What Would It Be Like Having an Autistic Child Who’s 6-11 Years Old: Age 8
By now, school and life should be flowing easily. Autistic kids often are up at different hours than their non-autistic peers which shouldn't be adjusted. If public school hours are not within healthy limits, switching to homeschool and keeping that routine will be far easier. Your child will eventually be an adult which enables them then to set their own schedule. Having your child set that schedule may mean adjustments for you who is better equipped to handle it than an 8 year old child. Doctors will offer sleeping medication as a solution but changing your child's natural circadian rhythm while teaching them that they need a drug to fit in is definitely something each parent needs to consider.
I know for me, the medications that I was forced to take caused serious side effects which still affect me over 15 years AFTER I took my last pill and affect me to the point where I lose days of work.
At age 8, the world is full of wonder and joy. Definitely the time for Disney trips and Disney does an amazing job at working with their disabled guests to ensure the best stay possible. Definitely make sure to say your child is autistic will decrease the time you are actively waiting in line, can get you access to quiet areas, and allows the staff to know to help you wrangle a meltdown if they see your child in destress. Definitely expanding your child's travel diary will help your child better adjust to a changing life instead of routine life.
What Would It Be Like Having an Autistic Child Who’s 6-11 Years Old: 9 Years And Going
By age 9, school should be a breeze. If not, adjust the school/try a new school/move to homeschool. Having a few extra curricular activities for them is going to help them succeed and get peer time either with adults or other kids. It is true that we often shrink from social situations but that is often due to discrimination we have faced in the past which has gone unnoticed. Autistic children love being involved.
At this age, it might be good to have them in a self-defense class like martial arts so that they can defend themselves. Autistics are often targeted and keeping the focus on teaching them how to handle the situation before it arises is better then them being seriously hurt.
What Would It Be Like Having an Autistic Child Who’s 6-11 Years Old: Double Digits Here We Come
Yay for being 10! By now, you’re probably considering the big C and T. College should definitely be something that is pre-planned (not the where but the other logistics like money). It's hard setting up sometimes with the extra finances so starting sooner than later is key. Also starting to teach your child strategies to remove peer pressure so they can focus on maintaining their needs in a healthy way can reduce the amount of time it takes them to learn the hard way.
The same thing goes for the big teen years. Focusing on building a trusting relationship now with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. who are healthy for your child to have a relationship with can increase your ability to stay in the know when they are teens. Teenagers will often tell someone else they trust things that they can't tell their parents (often should).
What Would It Be Like Having an Autistic Child Who’s 6-11 Years Old: The Last Year of Childhood
Like any kid, your child is chomping at the bit for independence. At 11 it can be difficult because the pre-teen mood swings have come. Other kids have tech and you may have tinkered with tech as a therapy or communication tool already. If you haven't, making sure that your kiddo has a cellphone will help you keep a way to communicate when your child is away from you. Having the ability to fully begin to take care of themselves including shopping for food for themselves and clean up the house after themselves is key to building the self care routine that will be with them their entire lives.
As an aunt of several autistics and being an autistic myself, I know that the old way of raising the child by forcing an infinity peg in a square hole isn't going to work. I have had to relearn so many things about myself because I was forced to change my healthy habits for disfunctional chaos that taught me to ignore my body's symptoms which later almost cost me the ability to walk or talk. Autistics are very good at letting their needs be known and what they don't like equally known.
tags: autistic, autistic aesthetician, autistic gold, autistic meltdown, autism, routine, actuallyautistic, truth, chld, teaching, wisdom, redinstead










