Autistic Logistics, Second Edition, releases September 21, 2021.
Can you briefly outline your history? How has this background influenced what you write about?
I have worked with families and their amazing children and adults on the spectrum for over 30 years now. I decided to work with children on the spectrum after watching a movie called, “Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love”, when I was just 13 years old. The movie was the story of two parents’ journey to help their 2-year-old autistic son. Well, that movie really inspired me and introduced me to the concept that love and acceptance is the most powerful force for healing and change. I have not looked back since. I have worked with well over 1500 different delightful children and adults and my experiences with them and my training in the Son-Rise Program ® informs every word on the pages of the second edition of Autistic Logistics.
What do you hope parents learn from Autistic Logistics?
My hope in writing this book is that it gives concrete, doable, clear step by step answers to the everyday challenges that parents face parenting their loved ones on the spectrum. What do I do when my child hits me, bites, me? How do I get them to eat a new food, or brush their teeth, or sleep through the night? What do I do when they have a meltdown or a tantrum and how can I prevent them? How do I encourage my child to not just pee on the potty but to poo also? How do I encourage them to get dressed and keep their clothes on? These are real everyday questions to which Autistic Logistics gives real doable answers. And these answers will be enjoyable and fun to put into practise.
How can Autistic Logistics be used in a classroom or other school setting?
Autistic Logistics is a great book for professionals to read because they face a lot of the same issues that parents do. How do they handle hitting and biting, crying and meltdowns? How do they have clear boundaries in their classroom but also give the control that our children need and crave? If they can harness this balance between the two, the teaching will be so much easier. Autistic Logistics is a step by step guide for any adult supporting autistic young people.
In the past couple years, so much research has been done on neurodiversity and how kids learn differently. What are small steps teachers and educators can take to ensure all kids are getting the best out of their school day?
I think it is really understanding that a child or adult on the spectrum is experiencing the word differently. They are dealing with an overload of sensory input that is not always easily detectable to our eyes. Limiting sensory overload in the classroom is key, both auditorily and visually. Because of this sensory overload, our children need more control. Giving them this control by allowing their stim will be so important in helping them stay regulated during the classroom day. There is definitely more but I think these two are the first ones to put into place.
What was your initial inspiration for Autistic Logistics?
When I consult with parents, no matter where they live in the world or how old their child is, the first questions I would be asked are the ones I answered in Autistic Logistics. I thought if I wrote a book with all the answers in it then more parents would benefit, not just the parents who came to see me. I’m thrilled that this has been the case with the first edition. I have received lots of letters from parents around the world with pictures of their children eating new foods, sleeping through the night in their own beds, sitting on the potty and much more! It has been a great pleasure. I am thrilled to be able to update the book into this new edition.
Are there any other resources you would recommend?
Yes! I would love to share my other book The Autism Language Launcher, A Guide to Helping Your Child Turn Sounds and Words into Simple Conversations. As well as, Raun K. Kaufman’s book, Autism Breakthrough. The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over the World. And Barry Neil Kaufman’s – Happiness Is A Choice.
