The new year usually brings in resolutions or changes to our routine for the betterment of ourselves. Many goals we stick to, others may fall by the wayside, but the key point is that we continue to have ambitions and objectives as we move along throughout the year. This is especially true for our children on the Spectrum as well. Some kids with ASD may not have traditional New Year’s resolutions as their peers but no matter what their goals may be, we need to honor them. As parents and caregivers, we must embrace this notion as well. We may want our kids to jump leaps and bounds over the next few months and yet they may only take “baby steps.” Our kids deserve all the accolades of any achievements large and small throughout the year.

I encourage parents and caregivers to talk with their children about what goals they may want to achieve throughout the year and making a plan to assist with helping them try to achieve the objectives. This New Year is a wonderful time to sit down with our children and find out their dreams and aspirations. We need to support them in creating goals that they can attain in shorter lengths of time but also those objectives that challenge them. These are healthy habits for strengthening our kids’ confidence no matter what their age or abilities and the beginning of the year is a perfect time to have these conversations.