Our IMPAACT!!!

SO after many many many many training sessions and days at schools and sessions with parents, it came to me at 3 am in the morning when I probably should have been sleeping. My best ideas tend to happen at these odd unexpected moments. What was I really trying to achieve? What was my message - i kind of knew but the actual answer seemed to be just out of arms reach until now. 

I was asked previously what I ultimately wanted to achieve when I left a school, meeting, house, playgroup. I wanted the child/young person or adult with Autism to be seen and heard and that those around them would stop and take the time to understand. I wanted to lessen the constant judging and comparing and promote embracing difference and allowing for it. I would have like more of that when I was growing up so all in all it felt like a good outcome. 

So what did I think of when I was meant to be sleeping? Well it came to me that what I wanted to really focus on was the IMPACT that we all have on each others lives, but even more so when we are working or living with some one with autism. So I created IMPAACT.

IMPAACT stands for 'I make positive adjustments and change thinking'. You can change your thinking, change others thinking by modelling patience, understanding and acceptance. Positive adjustment could be as simple as greeting the child when he is there rather than talking to the adult who is working with him or not repeating your instruction over and over but stopping and allowing time to process, or writing it down. 

It feels like there is a change afoot..........but lets not wait and see, lets act. 

#AutismChampions

#IMPAACT