Hi!
I'm new.
I've been watching Fathering Autism for 2 years or more now. Ever since they did that episode of 'Special Books For Special Kids'.
I have thoughts:
- Abbie's progress has completely stalled. Honestly, I haven't seen her achieve anything "new" in probably the whole 2 years. If anything, she's gone backwards. She used to do some things like unpack groceries, unload the dishwasher, vacuum. I haven't seen her do any of those in months.
- Why is Asa so obsessed with Abbie learning her colours? It seems like they've been working on the same 3 for months and months. Some days she can do, other days she hasn't got a clue. Why are they continuing to bash away at this skill? I can think of at least 10 that would be of far more benefit to Abbie than knowing 3 colours.
- Abbie's entirely random signing. They say they want her to be able to communicate with the outside world and "we know what her signs mean", yet there is very little effort to correct her constant wrong usage. She signs "bathroom" constantly? For attention? Call her bluff and take her to the bathroom, MAKE her sit on the toilet. "That's not what you wanted? Then sign correctly". It's a bad habit they've allowed to escalate. "She uses bathroom to get out of stuff"? So what? She'll quickly realise that sitting on the toilet for 5 minutes is a hell of a lot more boring than whatever 30 second task she was asked to complete. Yes, she's intellectually delayed, but she's not stupid. She'll learn. Might take longer than the average kid, but she'll learn.
- Abbie's diet... She's getting chubbier by the month, but used to be very slim. I get that all teenage girls get a bit chubby at times, but it's linked to hormones usually, and I thought Abbie was on some sort of puberty/period delaying drugs? But then you look at what she's actually eating... Large bowl of sugary cereal, a doughnut "every day", multiple snacks, large meals. To be honest, she's probably reached her adult height. She doesn't need the "feeding up" you would give to a pre-teen. She needs the maintenance diet appropriate for a young woman.
- The rest of the family's diet. Asa is also getting fatter by the month. Pres doesn't seem to have lost any weight in months. Isaiah isn't getting any slimmer, and even Summer is filling out... And those tiny shorts Summer wears constantly... I just wanna be like "put your vag away Sum!"
- The stims. Honestly, that yelling stim would drive me absolutely bat-
tit. I know you're not supposed to subdue stims, but I'm sorry, that one would have to go. It is so incredibly invasive on everyone else in the home. I don't think anyone on earth would complain or condemn them if they used ABA to see that one off.