Recently, we we returned to Florida to visit family as well as attend the FPEA convention with our favorite vendor, Writeshop. While there, we of course went to the Most Magical Place On Earth aka Walt Disney World. I like to use theme parks to work on skills with Logan.
It helps to reduce my anxiety to remind myself that I will never see these people again. No matter how odd we look or if a meltdown becomes inevitable, we can continue on with our life with no one we know any wiser. Plus, people who don’t know Logan give him situations that I would not be able to set up in a million years.
They presume competence at his chronological age which can turn into a fantastic learning opportunity for them and him. Using supports like Angelsense, in different locations like Walt Disney World helps us to learn his idiosyncrasies as well.
We’ve begun working on independence life skills with Logan. Since his 10 year life plan involves living independently, we must prepare him for doing things on his own. At this point, we need to do this with the recognition that he is vulnerable due to his autism.
Until he becomes more proficient in adulting, for lack of a better term, we must put parameters in place to keep him safe. The trick is to put safety parameters in place without making him feel like we don’t believe he can do it. Angelsense allows us to do exactly that easily.
The features of Angelsense make setting up Logan to be independent super easy. I was able to track where he was down to the ride he was on at the time. This enabled me to give him clear directions on where to go to meet up as well as to get to him quickly. I could listen in as he approached the kiosk to help thwart any miscommunication. Additionally I could speak back and forth with him if necessary regardless of whether or not his phone was charged.
I could also track his path for the day to see how well he navigated the crowd. At Magic Kingdom, I discovered he always went the same way to get to Haunted Mansion to meet up with me. Inquiring about it with him made me realize he was taking the less crowded route because it was easier for him sensory wise. That bit of information was an important discovery in his path to independence. All of these items together give me peace of mind as I send him to navigate the world without me.
You preferably attach the Angelsense unit to the child’s clothing. This would have been a perfect scenario when he was a runner or wanderer as a small child. What works for Logan is that he puts it into his pocket just like his cell phone. It stays in his pocket until we get home. He’s not a huge fan of it but he does acknowledge its usefulness.
As it gains him more independence, I suspect he will tolerate it better. For the moment I can reason with him about its usefulness so he begrudgingly takes it. He trusts that I have his best interest at heart. I make sure that he is able to carry it incognito. I don’t talk to him through it until I have listened first to make sure he won’t get embarrassed by it.
Since Madison is surpassing him on the independence scale, he is starting to notice his autism more. Angelsense allows us to give him much wanted independence at a rate that makes everyone comfortable. The key features of Angelsense make it perfect for people with high functioning or Level 1 autism.
With AngelSense you’ll Get:
- AngelCall 2-way voice, talk to your child at anytime
- Non-removable GPS device for children with sensory sensitivities
- Text Alerts for unexpected locations visited by the child
- Listen-In to check in on your child, anywhere and anytime
- Timeline View of your child’s routes throughout the whole day
- Smart Search to track your child in case of an emergency
Lots of times when your child is high functioning , you overlook supports like this that will help your child. You think they are for the more severe types of autism or for kids who go to school. I challenge you to look past that to see the benefits it could have in achieving independence for your child. If using this helps us accomplish that goal while enhancing Logan’s safety then sign us up. His success as well as safety is of utmost importance to me.
