Children with Autism need Rewards and Consequences

           First off let me remind my readers I am a parent of a child with Autism. That being said, why do some parents of children with Autism think their child does not need consequences? I hear over and over that so and so is autistic that's why they act that way. No, your child is misbehaving as any child could do,and they need to know there is consequences for their behaviors.

           Having a rewards and consequence system in place is crucial for any child. This includes children on the Autism spectrum. If there are no consequences for their behavior the child will continue to learn that they can do whatever they want and nothing will come of it. How is this preparing them for the real world. If they break a law, there will be consequences.

          All children need to learn there is always an outcome for everything they do in life. Some good and some not so good. The choice is up to them by their actions. Using a diagnosis of Autism to answer for all of their bad behaviors is setting them up for failure later in life. Not to mention, it's going to make your life as a parent, difficult.

         I have seen children with Autism spit, yell, hit, and defy their parents and nothing is done. If anyone questions the behavior the answer is "oh, their medication is messed up", or "they have Autism, they can't help it." Some behaviors I know cannot be helped. But just being defiant and disrespectful are not those behaviors.

          All children can learn respect. They can learn about manners. They must learn that the answer is not always yes. Having a reward and consequence system in place will make your life, your child's life, and everyone's life that will deal with your child in the future, much more enjoyable.

            In the coming days I will discuss some different types of reward and consequence systems you can try. Letting your child get away with their bad behaviors is one of the reasons children on the Autism spectrum get judged unfairly when they do have a behavior that they cannot help.