Most parents can trade war stories about their kid's bedtime. But for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this problem can be more severe than in other children.
If your kid is diagnosed with autism and having some sleep problems, read this for a new perspective.
When my child was 3 years old, his sleeping habits were very difficult.
He would always try to stand up and walk around our bedroom. At that age, he also likes to be coddled like a baby.
We used to see bedtime as a "battle" but then we realized, those were golden opportunities to learn.
In our experience:
1. Bedtime was the first time he copied an action song.
2. It was bedtime when he learned to say "Mommy".
3. He learned to sing because he was more attentive when his father sang.
4. He would talk about the things that he likes during bedtime.
5. He is more attentive listening to our stories like our childhood experiences, life lessons etcetera. (I know he likes it because he would say "Usap pa!" (Talk more!).
That's why we also try to go to the bedroom at 7 p.m. to have more time for this learning opportunity.
Autism Sleep Problems Advice from the Spectrum Mommy
Instead of seeing our bedtime as a "battle" or a never-ending problem we need to solve, why not see it first as a sacred time for connecting deeper with our child?
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