Being a father of twin sons with profound autism has been a unique and rewarding experience. Over the years, my wife and I have dedicated ourselves to helping our boys develop essential life skills. One of these skills, which might seem simple to some but has been a significant milestone for us, is teaching them to write their names. In this blog, I want to share our journey and highlight why teaching our sons to write their names has been so important, from signing legal documents to personalizing birthday cards and more.
The Importance of Teaching Autistic Children to Write Their Names:
1. Communication and Identity:
Teaching our sons to write their names was not just about mastering a fine motor skill; it was about giving them a tool to communicate their identity. Names are powerful. They represent who we are, and for our sons, being able to write their names allowed them to connect with their own identity and communicate it to others.
2. Functional Independence:
As parents of children with autism, one of our primary goals is to promote functional independence. Writing their names opened up new possibilities for our sons to express themselves and interact with the world. They could label their belongings, sign forms, and participate in everyday activities that require personal identification.
3. Legal Documents:
One practical application of teaching our sons to write their names is the ability to sign legal documents. While we might have initially thought this was a far-off goal, it became a reality as they grew older. Having the skills to sign their names on documents is a significant step toward self-advocacy and legal responsibility.
4. Personalization and Connection:
Birthdays, holidays, and special occasions are moments of connection with loved ones. Teaching our sons to write their names allowed them to personalize birthday cards, thank-you notes, and holiday greetings. It’s a way for them to connect with friends and family on a deeper level, even if their autism sometimes limits verbal communication.
Our Journey:
The journey to teaching our sons to write their names was not without its challenges. It required patience, persistence, and a deep understanding of their unique needs. We started with basic motor skills exercises and gradually progressed to forming letters. Teacher from Elementary to the point of graduating High school were instrumental in assisting with their progress and not losing this skill. At home, we assisted in providing opportunities to write names in cards to family. Visual aids, sensory tools, and adaptive writing tools played a crucial role in their learning process. The boys loved to mirror me writing. As I wrote, he mirrored exactly what I did. Which for writing his name was good. This has potential for drawing which just dawned on me may be a way to expand his abilities to express himself. Wish us luck!
We also recognized that each of our sons had his own pace and style of learning, and we tailored our approach to their individual strengths and challenges. It was a journey filled with small victories, and each time they wrote their names, it felt like a triumph for our family.
Teaching our twin sons with profound autism to write their names has been an incredible journey filled with valuable life lessons. It’s a reminder that every milestone, no matter how small it may seem to others, is a significant achievement for our family. Writing their names has opened doors to self-expression, independence, and a sense of identity that will continue to serve them well throughout their lives. As parents, we are grateful for the opportunity to support our sons on this remarkable journey, and we look forward to the many more milestones to come.
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