How Can I Help My Child with Autism to Become Self Sufficient?

Self sufficiency is all about creating independence, which is a critical feature in the train of autism because we want our children to emerge into adolescence adults that are independent, that don't need ongoing supports. It's a matter of using supports as necessary, and skillfully and quickly pulling those supports out so children can become more and more independent.

It's a matter of also providing the skill areas for independence. It's teaching them self-help skills, it's teaching them community safety skills. It's taking those skills that lead to independence, and devoting time and energy to teaching those skills, but doing it in a way where we pull ourselves out as adults, as teachers, as supports and we leave our children, our adolescents, our adults so they can do it on their own.

It's matter of making it a priority, it's a matter of taking ourselves out of the equation.