“You see toys lined up my child sees patterns and structures.” -Joy of Autism.
Hello readers, and happy Wednesday! If you have been following my blog for any length of time, then you are aware that we have a son who is on the spectrum. One of the behaviors that stands out is his tendency to line things up. This week, I am going to give you a peek into my son’s world on the spectrum, sharing this behavior with you!
Understanding this behavior
Many parents wonder why their child lines up their toys. As a mom of a child on the spectrum, I have been learning that certain behaviors like lining things up are his way of interacting with the world. Lining up objects is a common behavior for children with Autism. For my son and many other kids on the spectrum, lining things in a row is their way of creating order! Lining up objects can help them feel more in control!
In our household, you’ll often find my son carefully lining up his little people, cups, or even his sister’s bottles. It’s something he tends to do to help him focus or calm down. It’s become a small but significant part of his routine. When I first noticed his behavior of lining things up, I was relieved! I was relieved because it was the aha moment that I realized my child was on the spectrum. It was the main behavior I knew about Autism!
How do we respond to the behavior?
Instead of trying to stop the lining up, we have learned to embrace it. However, when he goes to line up his sister’s bottles or even our spices, he will climb on our stove. I have learned to redirect him from climbing on the stove and will place the objects on ground level for him to line up. We provide him with opportunities to line up objects and will sometimes turn it into a learning activity. For instance, we might encourage him to line up his toys by color or size. This way we can make his behavior both comforting and educational.
What it means for us as a family?
Understanding why my son lines things up has deepened our connection. Because now I have learned not to get easily frustrated when he goes to climb on our stove to want to line things up. It also has helped us better understand how his brain works and, in turn, how we can support him in ways that are fulfilling for him.
Tips for parents with children on the spectrum!
If your child enjoys lining things up, I encourage you to be patient. You will find that your day is smoother when you are patient. This behavior isn’t necessarily a phase that needs to be fixed. Room for flexibility, yes, but fixed no! It is a part of how your child makes sense of the world. You can support this behavior by providing different types of objects to line up. Allowing them to develop fine motor skills.
Conclusion- Embracing their unique world
The thing to remember is that each child is different and they each have their unique way of experiencing the world. The way my son interacts with the world through lining things up is just one of the many wonderful parts of who he is! If you have a child who demonstrates similar behavior, just know that you are not alone. Learn to embrace and adapt to these behaviors just like I am. It is a part of the beautiful way your child sees the world!
Thank you for reading this week’s blog post on “The Art of lining up.” As I continue sharing my story on raising a child with Autism. Have a great rest of your week and I look forward to future blog posts!