3 Clever Ways to Help Your Child’s Skills Travel

Parenting is filled with triumphs. When your child learns a skill, it’s a win.

But here’s the twist: we don’t want these skills to stay home. We want them to travel, to work anywhere, anytime.

Welcome to skill generalization, where we teach your child’s skills to be flexible world travelers.

Skills That Roam: Making Your Child a Skillful Globetrotter

Imagine your child’s skill as a globetrotter with a passport. They’ve mastered it at home, but can they use it confidently at school or with friends and family?

In this section, we’re exploring how to ensure skills don’t become homebodies. We’ll give you tips to help your child use their skills wherever they are. It’s like preparing them for a world tour, but instead of landmarks, they’ll showcase their abilities.

Teamwork: School, Home, and Beyond

When Jacob was in school, we became a team. It wasn’t just about his teachers; it was a group effort. We teamed up to help him learn and apply new skills, and it worked wonders.

If you have a child on the autism spectrum like I do here is another blog post you may enjoy: https://www.autismsociety-nc.org/he-has-mastered-this-skill-at-home-why-doesnt-he-do-it-anywhere-else/

Homework Time: Not Just for School

We borrowed a page from Jacob’s school schedule playbook. After school, it was time for our version of “homework.” Dinner, cleaning up, tackling homework, getting that room cleaned (which, let’s face it, was a skill in itself), and, of course, brushing those teeth to dazzle the tooth fairy.

If you need help and suggestions for schoolwork motivation and schedules check out my previous blog post: https://educatingjacob.com/slug-boost-homework-motivation-daily-schedules/

Family and Friends: The Support Squad

Our family and friends became invaluable allies. They understood that Jacob needed support not just with speech and academics but also in play and social interactions.🤝

So, when we visited or had gatherings, they joined the cause. They used schedules, they engaged with him, they ensured he felt included and supported. It wasn’t just us; it was a village effort. 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦

Generalization: The Magic of Everywhere Learning

The magic here is in “generalization.” It’s not enough for a child to learn something in one setting; they need to apply it everywhere. That’s what we achieved by creating a unified front.✨

At school, at home, and with family and friends, Jacob was learning and using skills consistently. It wasn’t about different rules or routines in different places; it was about one set of skills that applied everywhere.

The result? Jacob became a skillful globetrotter. He could navigate various situations with confidence because he had practiced those skills in different settings using his schedule.

So, if you want your child’s skills to be versatile and work seamlessly in all areas of life, remember this: teamwork makes the dream work, no matter where you are. If you need social stories to help with family friends here is another place to look: [Link to Social Stories](https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/children-disabilities/article/social-stories) 📚