We chose play from Affect Autism

Before children reach the capacity to be abstract in their thinking, you have to take the responsibility for their behaviour rather than punishing or expecting them to control their impulses. Once children are abstract, they are capable of understanding that other human beings have experiences that are different from their own, so you can set limits and discuss appropriate behaviour. Compliance alone does nothing to facilitate the necessary development of thinking, relating, and communicating. Focusing on connection and trust with our children with developmental differences, such as autism, is most important in facilitating a continuous flow of interaction with DIRFloortime®, working towards abstraction where a child is intrinsically motivated to follow societal norms.

Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://affectautism.com/2016/07/05/limits/

Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

An ideal DIRFloortime® program includes many components and therapies suited to the child's individual sensory, physical, and learning challenges where all caregivers & therapists are working on the same developmental goals using the same Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR®) approach to promote social emotional growth and development.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2016/05/10/ideal-dirfloortime/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

We present a tool from the User’s Guide to the DIR® Model, the book we discussed a few episodes back, co-authored by Dr. Andrea Davis of the  Greenhouse Therapy Center in Pasadena, California. We discuss the practice of self-reflection, which you can use in your Floortime sessions. I reflected on the Floortime session with my son, completed the worksheet, and discussed with Dr. Andrea Davis the process of applying this practice myself.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2016/04/12/reflection/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

Setting limits with development in mind with children who have developmental differences, including autism, means being firm with compassion, warmth, empathy and respect. Being attuned to our children's emotional experience is the key to seeing their behaviour as communication, which will help us be a helpful, empathic guide rather than a dictator around disruptive behaviour.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2016/03/29/setting-limits/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

Last time, we covered how emotions are key to affecting autism. This time we’ll talk a little bit more about that. Specifically, let’s discuss how essential it is to respect the emotional experiences and expressions of our children.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2016/03/15/emotional-expressions/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

This episode discusses the importance of emotions in the DIRFloortime® approach for children with developmental differences, including autism. By making room for our children’s emotions, we take their side so they feel safe with and trust us. Our children's behaviour is impulsive and not intentional, so we must allow all emotions to be expressed without consequence, support our children to name what they are feeling, play freely without consequence, and once they can feel more than one emotion at a time, mix the feelings by adding in the positive feelings rather than trying to "cut out" negative feelings.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2016/03/01/emotions/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

In the Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR®) model and Floortime, we can keep our children in a longer back-and-forth interaction by slowing down and using non-verbal communication, affect, staying in the moment, waiting and watching, avoiding questions or directions and watching the cues our children give us.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2016/02/16/slow-down/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

We can support children with developmental differences, including autism, begin to make logical connections between ideas by challenging them to wonder about events (why, what, when and how) and emotions in themselves and others using the DIRFloortime® approach.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2016/02/08/stumbling-blocks-6/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

This episode features an interview with Dr. Andrea Davis about her co-authored book, Floortime Strategies to Promote Development in Children and Teens: A User's Guide to the DIR® Model that supports parents and practitioners to promote the emotional, social and intellectual development of children with developmental differences including autism. The specific strategies allow us to outline the process of Floortime that will lead to the family's goals for the child.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2016/02/02/users-guide/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/