Comment on Find what you like and stick with it

• captainlezbian@lemmy.world ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

  Yeah it’s vital that agreeing to try something new doesn’t feel unsafe. If the kid doesn’t like it a parent can eat it, it’s fine. And that’s not just for autistic kids, but it is especially for them. Adventurous behavior, especially in children, is associated with it feeling safe to push outside one’s comfort zone. That can mean trying kimchi or it can mean trying the monkey bars. Encouraging adventurous behavior is also good. You want the kid to be comfortable leaving their comfort zone and entering the growth zone. Food is just one element of it.

  I’ve had to help autistic adults learn that they can just try new things, fail, and be ok whether it’s setting up a doctor’s appointment, new foods, or new skills. Many people, but especially common in people diagnosed with autism as children, are raised where if something doesn’t go right the first time they’re scolded or punished or fussed over or whatever else discouraging behavior and it results in people who struggle to leave their comfort zones, which is crippling as an adult.

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