As we set our sights toward a brand new calendar year, it’s a good time to also assess goals for the future. Families that have children with autism can use this opportunity to plan ahead for progress. Small, actionable goals can be a great way to work on your child’s learning and independence while strengthening the connection between your family.
Here are five new year resolutions ideas for families with children with autism to consider as the clock ticks over to 2025:
1. Prioritize One New Life Skill At A Time
Life skills are a great focus for children with autism, helping foster a sense of independence and improving confidence. Focusing on one skill at a time can help them master it without overwhelming them. Choose a skill to start with, and break it into small steps that are easier to manage. Use ABA therapy techniques such as visual aids, step-by-step instructions and positive reinforcement to lead your child and facilitate success. Don’t forget to celebrate successes to keep motivation high! Some skills you might consider working on include:
• Dressing on their own
• Simple household chores
• Basic baking or cooking skills
• Brushing their teeth on their own
• Tying shoes
2. Create Predictable Calendar For Family Activities
Predictability is a vital component to regulating the emotions and behaviors of children with autism. Create an easy to follow family activity calendar to plan out frequent outings or activities that line up with things your child and family enjoy. Let your child help plan the activities to help them feel included, and post the calendar somewhere they can see it and know what to expect and when.
3. Incorporate More Play & Movement
Physical activity is obviously healthy for a number of reasons for all members of the family, but it’s also a great way to provide sensory input for autistic children. Make it a goal to include movement into your daily routines in a way that makes sense for your family, having the benefit of emotional regulation and of course, fun! Include activities you feel you can remain consistent with, such as family walks, bike rides, balance boards, dance parties, trampolines, etc.
4. Strengthen Communication Between Family and Outside Agencies
Collaboration between the different areas of your child’s life is an important part of their development. Make a 2025 resolution to improve communication and consistency across all of their environments, whether that be home, daycare, school or different therapies. At Bloom Behavioral Healthcare, we believe parent collaboration is a massive part of ABA therapy success, and are happy to work with families any way we can to ensure consistency and progress. Ways to improve communication may include a communication log, scheduled check-ins, or parent meetings to stay on the same page.
5. Focus On Self-Care
Your child’s wellbeing is always a priority, as it should be, but are you also taking care of yourself? Prioritize self-care in the new year by setting actionable goals to hold yourself accountable. Taking care of yourself will help you be the best parent or caregiver you can be, helping improve patience, energy and happiness.
Contact Bloom Behavioral Healthcare to Begin ABA Therapy in 2025
Think of your New Year resolutions as stepping stones toward long term progress and growth. Any one of these resolutions will help bring a more supportive environment for your child to thrive. If it feels overwhelming, that’s okay! Start small and don’t be afraid to ask for support. If you haven’t already been utilizing services such as ABA therapy, 2025 is the year to consider it. Bloom Behavioral Healthcare provides compassionate ABA therapy that serves to help your family recognize triggers, establish routines and structure, and collaborate across environments to tailor custom care to your child’s needs. Contact us to learn more. As we move into the future, don’t forget to celebrate the victories, both big and small! It’s going to be a great year - we can feel it!
Bonus: Find some New Year printables here to help plan out your resolutions!
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