Empowering Your Teen to Be More Independent 

If you’re like most parents and caregivers, your goal is to see your teenager grow into a confident, independent individual. However, it can be a little more challenging to achieve this goal if they have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here are some valuable tips to help your teen along their path to independence: 

Create a Visual Schedule 

By using photos and pictures to represent different activities during the day, your teenager can learn to follow them by themselves. As a result, they will rely less on you to tell them what to do every step of the way.  

Teach Them Self-Care Skills 

It’s important for teenagers to begin a personal hygiene routine that includes showering, washing their face and under their arms, putting on deodorant and brushing their hair. Posting a visual checklist itemizing their hygiene routine in the bathroom can be helpful. 

Encourage Them to Work on Chores 

If the goal is to have your teenager eventually move out and live by themselves, then having them learn basic household chores is a must. This can include learning how to do laundry, folding clothes, washing and putting away the dishes, and making a grocery list. 

Have Them Practice Using Money 

Another key life skill involves understanding how money is used. For example, you can show your teenager how you pay for items in the store and even let them hand over the money to the cashier. You can also consider adding money skills to your teen’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) at school.  

Expose Them to New Environments 

Teenagers with ASD can have a hard time adjusting to new situations. That’s why it’s important to slowly introduce them to new activities and environments so that they become more comfortable with change. 

Identify Your Teen’s Strengths 

As your teen matures, they will likely start to develop interests and skills. Be sure to identify these along with their strengths. This can help them figure out what types of jobs they may want to pursue in the future. Equally important is identifying interests that your teen can do for fun. If they enjoy swimming, singing or playing soccer, then you can encourage and support these types of recreational activities. 

Since every individual is unique, the time it takes for your teen to achieve independence will be different from that of another. But rest assured that taking the time to teach them critical life skills and values will help them lead a robust, balanced life as an adult.