Remember the days when you could make a quick stop to the grocery store after work? Maybe you would stroll slowly through the aisles, pondering what to make for dinner, listening to a favorite podcast.
Of course, we know when kids enter the picture this ideal grocery store trip often becomes a thing of the past. For children with autism, the sensory overload and social interactions involved in a trip like this presents a variety of challenges, quickly turning these experiences into stressful ones.
Shopping trips are a crucial skill towards independence. Knowing that, we want to empower the parents we work with so they don’t feel the need to leave their child at home. We’ve gathered some tips that might help you the next time you find yourself shopping with your autistic child.
- Prepare Ahead of Time
Yes, this is a frequent tip we give, but with good reason: children with autism thrive when they know what to expect. Try using visual schedules or social stories to describe the shopping process before you go. If your child loves numbers, create a visual with numbered aisles. Those who love maps can follow along with a homemade map of the store.
Discuss the steps involved, from getting a shopping cart to checking out at the cashier, and all of the social expectations along the way. Familiarizing your child with these steps at home will ease their transition into the actual environment and reduce their anxiety overall.
- Include Them in the Process
For some children with autism, allowing them to make structured choices during shopping trips can help them feel some control over the environment. For example, you might let them choose between two brands of cereal or select the after-school snacks for that week. Decisions like these can make them feel more invested in the process and make the trip more enjoyable.
Another way to involve them in the experience is to put them in charge of checking off items on the list. This idea can help them stay engaged in the process, set expectations on the food you are purchasing that day, and build their self-confidence.
- Implement Sensory Tools When Needed
Between the bright lights, music, crowds, and packed aisles of colorful items, a store can be incredibly overstimulating. When you bring your autistic child, consider equipping them with a variety of sensory tools tailored to their needs. Use noise-canceling headphones to diminish sounds in the store, use a weighted vest to alleviate anxiety, have them carry a small fidget toy for a tactile distraction, or bring sunglasses to help with the bright lights.
For this to be successful, you will need to anticipate your child’s sensory challenges. However, by successfully mitigating these challenges, you can create a positive and supportive shopping experience.
- Set Clear Expectations and Rewards
Before you get to the store, discuss and set clear expectations with your child about their behavior in the store. Clearly outline what is expected of them, and explain the rewards they will receive for adhering to those behaviors. These rewards should be immediate and meaningful, such as choosing that night’s dinner or picking a small treat at checkout.
- Patience and Practice
Try to see the shopping trips as practice sessions, where each outing builds upon the last. These skills take time to build, so it’s important to recognize and praise your child’s efforts after each time, no matter how successful, and learn from each experience.
Not every trip will go smoothly, but a challenging day doesn’t mean future outings will have the same result. With consistent practice and a more patient approach, your child with autism will gradually become more comfortable with the shopping environment.
Ready Set Connect specializes in helping children with autism enhance their coping skills in real-world settings. If you’re looking for more structured support, don’t hesitate to reach out.
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