Pendulum Center

Do kids with autism understand more than experts think? History is full of examples of people mistaking a lack of communication for a lack of understanding. Some of the children who surprised me most were the ones people assumed understood the least.

STOP DOWNPLAYING VIOLENT BEHAVIOR FROM KIDS WITH AUTISM.

Autism doesn’t stop children from growing up.

That’s the conversation nobody wants to have.

There’s no such thing as the terrible twos. By two, many toddlers have simply been learning from the reactions adults give them for years. Babies may not understand everything, but they absolutely learn cause and effect. If hitting, throwing, and screaming consistently get attention or results, they’re learning something. The question isn’t what happened at two. The question is what they’ve been learning all along.

At what point does an accommodation stop helping a child with autism or special needs function in the real world and start teaching them the world should function around them?

That’s the question I think school administrators, psychologists, and BCBAs should be asking before adding another accommodation to an IEP.

What do you think?

Another toddler running the show. Toddler behavior doesn’t become a problem overnight. Kids learn from the small moments. Boundaries, consequences, respect, authority, and child discipline are all being taught whether adults realize it or not. One sentence in this video explains exactly why some children learn to run the show while others learn to respect limits.

I know a lot of parents think this is cute. I don’t. Watch what this toddler does every time his dad tries to talk and tell me if you’d allow it in your house. People think behavior like this starts later. It doesn’t. Dad today. Teacher tomorrow. Would you allow your child to do this? Comment TERRIBLE TWOS if you want a video on why I don’t believe in them.

Parents and professionals: one exception can create months of confusion for a child with autism. If you’ve ever felt like you’re repeating the same rule over and over, this may be why. Many children with autism don’t automatically apply a rule learned in one setting to a different person, place, or situation. Understanding this can change the way you teach, correct, and support them.

Special Needs Or Not Kids Need To Struggle. One of the strongest children I’ve ever worked with taught me that. Every discomfort isn’t a crisis. Every frustration doesn’t need an accommodation. Sometimes the best thing adults can do is step back and let kids discover what they’re capable of handling. Confidence comes from overcoming challenges—not having every obstacle removed.

Special ed teachers are being set up to fail. Aggressive behavior. Aggressive students. Behavior plans. BCBAs. School psychologists. Classroom management. Student aggression. Special education. One simple question exposes the problem. Do you agree redirection is being overused in special education?