Teaching My Son

Yup, that's my sweet J there. I hesitate to even show his picture because the iinternet can be a scary place sometimes. But he's my inspiration.
  I've talked about housecleaning a lot these past few days. I can't help it, its something I'm finally grasping after all these years. It's not that my life's goal was to be a slob, or more delicately put, a disorganized housewife. Inside is truly a neat, organized person. The Hubby calls me an OCD Messy. I'm truly wanting things neat and orderly but I am a messy person. Go figure. But I'm working on it, little by little.
  Today I happened to catch J in the act of throwing something out the window. My new must do yesterday was to spend time each day in J's room either cleaning or helping him clean. Today I grabbed a trash bag and insisted he pick up trash. He lasted maybe 2 minutes, if that, but he did it. That's where we stopped for the day. I gave him lots of praise for the effort he made and told him we would do the same thing tomorrow. If I want him to "get" that a clean house is a happy house, I have to teach him how to keep it clean. I already remind him to put dirty clothes in the basket, dishes in the sink, and garbage in the trash can. I've known most of his life that he needs routines in order to be comfortable in his life. He needs to know what to expect. But it's not just kids or adults with autism who need routines. I think we all do, especially kids. 
  If I want my son to keep his room clean, I have to teach him how by getting him to do some of the tasks needed. As he can do each of them more independently then it's time to teach him a new skill. If I don't teach him, who will?
Train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
         Proverbs 22:6 

Yup, that's my sweet J there. I hesitate to even show his picture because the iinternet can be a scary place sometimes. But he's my inspiration.
  I've talked about housecleaning a lot these past few days. I can't help it, its something I'm finally grasping after all these years. It's not that my life's goal was to be a slob, or more delicately put, a disorganized housewife. Inside is truly a neat, organized person. The Hubby calls me an OCD Messy. I'm truly wanting things neat and orderly but I am a messy person. Go figure. But I'm working on it, little by little.
  Today I happened to catch J in the act of throwing something out the window. My new must do yesterday was to spend time each day in J's room either cleaning or helping him clean. Today I grabbed a trash bag and insisted he pick up trash. He lasted maybe 2 minutes, if that, but he did it. That's where we stopped for the day. I gave him lots of praise for the effort he made and told him we would do the same thing tomorrow. If I want him to "get" that a clean house is a happy house, I have to teach him how to keep it clean. I already remind him to put dirty clothes in the basket, dishes in the sink, and garbage in the trash can. I've known most of his life that he needs routines in order to be comfortable in his life. He needs to know what to expect. But it's not just kids or adults with autism who need routines. I think we all do, especially kids. 
  If I want my son to keep his room clean, I have to teach him how by getting him to do some of the tasks needed. As he can do each of them more independently then it's time to teach him a new skill. If I don't teach him, who will?
Train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
         Proverbs 22:6