What does structure mean?
Structure is known as a “coherent form or organization” (Merriam-Webster, 2020). Having structure in all aspects of your life can potentially help to reduce stress and create a sense of balance in the everyday hustle and bustle. Structure does not always have to be a specific time-table of events (however if that’s what works for you, then go ahead!). Structure can also just be knowing what is coming up next; i.e., now that I ate my breakfast, it’s time to brush my teeth. Having some sort of structure and routine set-up can take away the uncertainty of the day, and promote independence for your children. It is important to know that even if we have everything perfectly planned out, sometimes life throws obstacles your way. Although this can be challenging, having some sort of daily routine can help bring balance back to your life, even when things get tricky.
What does structure look like in the home?
Creating a routine that is specific to your home will look different for everyone. Your routine will be based on the needs of the individuals in your home, as well as determining a system that works best for your home environment. There are 3 key points to keep in mind for creating structure and any kind of routine in your home, and these include:
Ensure expectations are clear and understood: Setting expectations will be rules to fall back on when your day becomes challenging. Additionally, this will promote independence in your children as they will know what is expected of them, and will not always have to rely on adult prompts.
Determine how your child can best understand a schedule: There are many ways to introduce schedules in your household, some examples are visual schedules, or an activity schedule.
Make your routine predictable: Your child should know what to expect throughout the day, so ensure you follow through with the schedule that is created. This can be the hardest part, so remember to be consistent, it will be worth it.
Why is this important for my child?
Having a simple routine to follow can help alleviate the stress of everyday life, not only for children, but for parents as well. Studies show that many (but not all) children with Autism are visual thinkers, and many rely on visual or verbal prompts (cues) from the environment (Mavropoulou, 2010). Additionally, many children with Autism experience difficulty organizing their thoughts and environment independently. Dalrymple (1995) explains that “when concrete information is in place about the day’s or week’s events, it is far easier to explain change than having to rely on verbal explanations” (p. 252, as cited by Dettmer, Simpson, Myles and Ganz, 2000). Simply put, having an established schedule for your home will help create structure and stability in your life when life throws obstacles your way. Your schedule will be the backbone of your home, and will always be something to refer back to.
References
Dettmer, J. (n.d.). The use of visual supports to facilitate transitions of students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities., 15(3), 163–169.
Mavropoulou, S. (n.d.). Effects of Task Organization on the Independent Play of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders., 41(7), 913–925.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Structure. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/structure