20130428 (日)

Self help



I'm a Great Detective Always on the Lookout

Time out
● Before you get too stressed at school or at home you can take yourself to time out.
● This can be an area of the classroom that you and your teacher have decided you can use.  In this area you may have a beanbag to sit in, and a box with calm down items, e.g. stress ball.

Diary
● Look at your school diary every day so you know what is happening at school when you get there.
● Add the dates of any changes or new things that are going to happen into your diary.
● Write in birthdays, lessons, etc. into yourdiary so you don;t forget them.

Remember
● make a 'remembering book' -- a tiny notebook with a small pencil.
● keep it in your pocket at school for taking notes or remembering names, etc.  Especially when visitors come to the classroom and you want to remember who they were and what they said.

Positive
● When you feel sad, you can think of things you like to do or things or people who make you happy, like your pet or a grandparent, a game or aunt/uncle who you like very much.
● You can try to laugh and have fun by remembering times that you have enjoyed, maybe a day out with your grandparents.
● You can read a joke or make up your own jokes.

Journal
● You can keep a journal at home and write your thoughts and feelings in it.
● You can try to write in it every day whether you feel happy or sad.  It is a good place to write when you are feeling angry too, so you can get the anger out.  This can be your own secret journal that no one else reads, so you can write whatever you like in it.

No excuse
● You won't blame Asperger Syndrome for behaviours that you can control.  If you really didn't forget something or you just feel like acting up, do no blame Asperger Syndrome.

Charts
● You can learn Social Stories, e.g. 'What to do to catch a bus'.
● You can use your charts and timetables at home and school.
● You can draw up your own charts at home if you think you need help with getting ready for school in the morning.
● They will help you learn routine, then one day you won't need the charts anymore because you know them off by heart.

Changes
● A change might be that your class was going on an excursion to the zoo and you were very excited, but the weather was bad and your excursion was cancelled.  This is disappointing and can make you sad or angry.
● If you understand that you can't stop changes, then you won't get so upset about them.
● When there is a change that you don't like, you can take a deep breath, and try to relax because you can't do anything about it.
● If you have to go somewhere new you can ask questions about that new place so you become familiar with it.

Happy
● You can try to be happy and not worry about lots of things.
● You can try to enjoy each day even when you don't feel like it.
● You can try not to worry about the future because you can enjoy today first.
● Being sad and negative can be a waste of your energy, it does not achieve anything.

Try
● If you find something hard to do or way, you can try not to get stressed but ask for help, e.g. if you are trying to solve a puzzle and it doesn't quite fit.  You can even have a rest and go back to it a little later when you are feeling calmer.  You can't always do well at everything, but if you try, you might just succeed!

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