Intrinsic motivation is the ability to be motivated internally, without external reward. Building intrinsic motivation in our children, autism or not, is a goal of all parents because without this force driving them, they will never achieve independence.
Building the Foundations of Mental Apprentice (and what that means!)
And in order to benefit from the MindGuiding relationship the child (apprentice) needs to have formed certain foundations. Here are the Foundations of a mental apprentice and how to help lay them.
Laying the Foundation for Intrinsic Motivation through Declarative Language
Being asked questions is perceived as a demand by many children. In fact, questions or demands actually raise blood pressure in the child, putting them on the defensive! Use declarative language instead!
Emotion Sharing Activities
Activities that can help you and your autistic child build a connection with one another, share emotion and promote social engagement.
What is Executive Functioning and How Autism Affects It
Executive functioning is critical to our independence as an adult, and most of us are not aware that we possess it. It is comprised of cognitive and mental abilities that help us regulate, control, and manage our thoughts and actions and can be a marked challenge for people with autism.
Obstacle to the Guiding Relationship
Whether you are new to the RDI® Model or have been around for some time, at some point you will face challenges and obstacles in the process of Guiding your child with autism. Learn more by watching...
Mindful Communication
Recommendations for developing mindful, experience-sharing communicationChanging the approach to the way you interact with your child can make all the difference in his or her mental...
Why RDI Emphasizes the Guiding Relationship
The parent-infant guiding relationship is akin to the interplay between different components of a guided rocket. The success of parent efforts at promoting the growth of their infants...
Co-Regulation: An Example
Keep practicing… at home, at the shopping mall, the beachfront…. wherever we are!
Slowly Adding Challenge
By slowly imbedding challenges within the pattern it allows the pattern to become dynamic rather than a static experience.
The Cook’s Assistant
Nick is going through a stubborn teenager phrase. He only wants to do what he wants to do. When invited to join me in some form of interaction, he makes the sign for ‘finished’ quicker than you can say, “let’s…..”
Framing through Holiday Activities
Celebrate the Holidays RDI® style with Kat Lee.
Filling Your Child’s bucket
If your child’s bucket is being continually drained, they need to be able to replenish the supply.
Are You Stealing Your Child’s Thinking?
Changing our style of teaching children with autism from ‘static’ to ‘dynamic’ uses activities that require the child to ‘think’ his way to a solution.
Proactive Pausing
Learning to pause gives our children the time to think of what to do, instead of being told what to do.
Entertaining Your Autistic Child
Is constant entertaining a good thing?
Scaffolding for Independence
Providing the right amount of uncertainty and comfort will help your child take each step forward.
Partnering with Your Child
A partnership is one where both parties have authentic roles in a meaningful task, activity, or project.
Instead of Fear, Let This Lead You
Change has to begin within you first. Then, only then, does the child change.
My RDI Hat!
With RDI, it is the day to day that makes a difference.
Thinking About RDI?
What to expect when you are new to RDI.
Using Effective Praise to Build Development
Learn how to use praise in an effective manner.
The Importance of Parenting
Both parents are equally important to the success of RDI.
Meet Your Kids Where They Are
Learning to slow down and recognize your child’s distict pace of development.
Kayaking Through Life: Supporting Kids with Challenges
Kids respond in different ways to being challenged, and the ways they respond can drive a parent’s response.
Laughing with RDI
Give a boy a water pistol and he knows exactly what to do with it! Not so with my Nick.
The RDI Journey
This guest blog post was written by RDI consultant Rachel Strasler I've been doing some overnight respite care for autistic youth lately. I've got an upstairs bedroom that seems to be a place of...
Guiding Exceptional Parents
Achieving quality of life with RDI is possible.
Trust: Secret Ingredient of the MindGuiding Relationship
The willingness to try something new that’s a bit scary.
Laying the Foundation for Autism Remediation
We saw tremendous changes in the first year itself…so what happened?
Mindfulness
Many people with autism struggle with remaining engaged.
Stop Telling Me What To Do!
Individuals with autism process information slower than we do.
Don’t Be a Thinking Robber
I have a confession to make …. I’m a reformed THINKING ROBBER!
What You Think is How You Parent
What runs through your head when you are in the middle of managing your child’s tantrums?
Avoid Overcompensating for Communication Issues
Often parents do most of the “work” in keeping the social exchange going.
Spotlight the Problem, Not the Solution
When we see someone struggling for a solution, our mirror neurons fire rapidly.
Mindful Parenting Creates Intuitive Thinking
Parents and caregivers are in the best position to help children with autism and other neurological disorders learn how…
How to Make a Memory
When we make a memory, our brain is changed from the experience…
Family Adventures
In RDI we coach parents to include their ASD child in meaningful opportunities where both parent and child collaborate not only in ‘doing’ things together.
Handling Transitions
Transitions are a normal part of our life but to a child with developmental challenges, transitions can often be difficult for these reasons:
Nick’s Story
Nick’s demonstration of the go kart he built with his dad
Sink or Swim; This is Really About Swimming
Nowhere but the water is it more apparent when one person knows what they are doing and the other does not.
