Self-Care
Learning to look after yourself is the first step to developing independence. Self-Care includes washing, dressing, going to the toilet and eating and drinking.
Dressing
Learning to dress independently is an important life skill. It gives your child a sense of achievement to master a new skill.
Going to the toilet
Toilet training is a complex task. It includes knowing when your child is ready for toilet training and learning all the skills they need to be successful.
Eating Meals
From weaning through food refusal, mealtimes are often associated with stress.
Looking After My Body
Part of growing up and becoming independent is learning to look after your body. This is necessary for good health as well as enabling social interaction.
Sleep
Sleep is vital for health, wellbeing, learning and development. Making sure that children and young people get the right amount of sleep is important.
Things to remember
- As tempting as it is don’t take over.
- Break the task down into manageable chunks.
- There are different ways to learn; show your child, tell your child and do the task with your child.
- Problem-solve-together – don’t correct them if they make a mistake but ask them what they need to do to fix it.
- Practice, practice, PRACTICE. Practice when you have time i.e. weekends or evenings.