109. Why Waiting is So Difficult
Delayed gratification is the ability to give up immediate pleasure to get a greater reward in the future. The good news is that delayed gratification is a skill that anyone can learn although, for our children, like so many other things, their learning curve is sure to be greater, and mastering the skill will likely take considerably longer to accomplish. The first thing I want to do is recommend that you start small. Delay their gratification for a very short period so they begin to connect the dots that while they had to wait, it was worth it. The next thing is to make rules within your family that help model delayed gratification and talk about WHY you are waiting and what is on the other side of that wait and how much better that will be. Teach your child gratitude. The truth is, delayed gratification comes naturally when you are practicing gratitude. What’s important in teaching our children this skill set is consistency just like so many things we are teaching them. Once you figure out which strategies work best for your child, practice them over and over in different settings. These strategies will change as your child gets older and like I said earlier, some of them will be a big no for you and your child, but again, as you continue to implement and try different strategies to help them, the difficult times will begin to be less frequent. If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD might be exactly what you don't even realize that you need in your life. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD. www.notyouraverageautismmom.com Additional Resources: Episode 16. Autism and Impulse Control Episode 89. Calming Down Big Emotions