Love is in the air this Valentine season! While traditionally associated with romantic love, there has been a modern push toward celebrating all forms of love - between child and parent, between friends and even with yourself. Self-esteem is crucial for everyone, but building that can be particularly difficult for children with autism. Often facing unique circumstances that differ from their peers, feeling “different” can take a toll on a person’s confidence. It’s important for autistic children to learn to recognize their own strengths and abilities while understanding that different doesn’t equal “wrong.”
One of Bloom Behavioral Healthcare’s core values revolves around embracing individuals for who they are - and helping them to do the same. Integrating positive affirmations into ABA Therapy can help teach self-love in a practical way that makes sense for the child.
Positive Affirmations & Why They Matter For Kids with Autism
If you’re unfamiliar with positive affirmations, they are a simple yet effective way to shift a person’s focus to a positive mindset through short, empowering statements. Making it a habit to frequently repeat these statements to oneself - even if you don’t believe them at first - can help lay a foundation of confidence. These statements can look like:
“I am kind and helpful.”
“I am a good problem-solver.”
“I am a good person.”
“I am a good friend.”
“I am learning and growing every day.”
“My uniqueness is a gift.”
“I am proud of who I am.”
Affirmations should be tailored to the individual, focusing on their specific strengths. Children with autism may go through challenging moments, often struggling with social cues, sensory processing and acclimating to new situations. Emotional dysregulation and frustration can hinder self-esteem, leading to feelings of inadequacy. Incorporating positive affirmations can:
Promote Self-Acceptance: Personalized positive affirmations can help children really understand and appreciate their unique qualities.
Build Resilience: Setbacks are a normal yet discouraging part of life. Integrating a habit of positive self-talk can help children navigate those situations more effectively.
Regulate Emotions: Repetition is comforting to autistic children. Finding positive statements to repeat can be a calming exercise that help children stay grounded while managing anxiety and overstimulation.
Encourage Independence: As an autistic child finds their way, positive affirmations can help reinforce their confidence in their abilities, enabling them to feel comfortable as they learn and grow.
ABA-Friendly Strategies for Teaching Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations can be taught and utilized in a number of ways that align with ABA principles:
Visual Supports: Place visual aids in the child’s environment, matching imagery with simple phrases to showcase the meaning. For example, a poster saying “I Am Brave” may include a photo of the child’s favorite superhero.
Routine Integration: Mesh positive affirmations into the child’s daily routine, making them easier to commit to. Pair a positive affirmation with breakfast, such as “I am ready to have a great day.” An example for bedtime might include, “I am proud of myself for trying my best today.”
Role-Play: Use social stories or role-play to help your child relate affirmations with real life scenarios. One way to do this is through a set of cards, one group with specific situations and one group with affirmations. Guide the child to the appropriate affirmations and have them practice saying them.
Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement is a hallmark of ABA technique, so including positive affirmations should be both easy and effective. For example, if your child gets a sticker for picking up their toys when they’ve finished, ask them to repeat “I did a great job cleaning up!” as they receive their sticker or prize.
There are endless creative ways to include positive affirmations in the life of your autistic child (and yourself!). Ways to guarantee success:
Personalize: Relate positive affirmations to the individual, choosing relevant statements that fit with their current strengths and goals. For example, a child working to improve their communication skills may use, “I am a great communicator” or “I can use my words well.” Give your child a sense of ownership by including them in the process.
Start Simple: Start with basic, simple affirmations until the practice becomes familiar. Make them fun by using them as part of play-based activities or games to present them in a fun, non-threatening way.
Stay Consistent: Consistency is a crucial component to positive affirmations, with repetition being key to internalizing the message.
Saying affirmations can feel silly at first, but through practice will become second-nature. Best of all, they will empower your child to navigate the world with more confidence, independence and self-acceptance.
Self-Love The ABA Way
Positive affirmations are a simple - yet transformative - way to help build confidence in children with autism, increasing self-love along the way. ABA Therapy can help integrate this practice into daily routines, reinforcing the impact through individualized statements and plenty of practice. By embracing each child’s unique needs through compassionate care, Bloom hopes to help them do the same. Building on other ABA methods, fostering a habit of positive self-talk will build confidence, resilience and independence that will stay with them for life. Bloom Behavioral Healthcare is available to provide customized ABA Therapy that will help celebrate and nurture your child and their potential. Contact us today to learn more.
Visit our Resource Page for free affirmation printables you can download and use! You'll find a set of 8x10 positive affirmation posters, a page of affirmation conversation hearts, DIY affirmation cards and a set of story cards for matching affirmations to situations!
Comments