In our last FREE WEBINAR we wanted to talk about screens and autism: how to use technology to your advantage. It is an aspect that affects us, as an online educational tool that is implemented through a computer, tablet or mobile phone, and, for this reason, we felt the need to transmit our experience. So without further ado, here is the content we covered.

The use of technologies invades us. If we think about it, it is almost recent and we have to recognize that many times, even we, find it difficult to handle them because we are not born digital. We were not born in a technological environment. Which makes it more challenging that we ourselves have to educate our children, in an environment that is not as familiar as it seems.

At VICON we are clear that it is a medium that requires an exercise in reflection, observation and measurement. What is the impact that this technological environment is having on human beings. Not in our children, but in human beings in general.

It will be the only way to understand what limits we have to set for our children with autism .

To begin with, we have to use ourselves as an example . Also measuring the impact on our family in particular.

Sometimes, we tend to look outside and we have to do the exercise internally . In this way we will be able to understand what dynamics it is modifying, what new behaviors it is provoking, what feelings and what riches it brings us, and which of them we can control and which we cannot, taking into account our family profile.

It's a family responsibility

The education of our children at all levels, and in our case the stimulation of our non-verbal children, is our responsibility . But we are also responsible for setting the tone for this stimulation and setting the limits that we deem appropriate.

Now we have a new and complex, but not impossible, challenge of how to control technology at home.

As a family team, we are going to find very different profiles within a family. Very different views, as well as very different uses of technology. Therefore, adapting this entire technological area is more complex when there is individuality in its use.

An important factor, time

To carry out this task, what we need is time : to be able to reflect, to be able to observe and make decisions about the situation that our family is experiencing at a technological level.

We need time to read strategies, we need time to prioritize those strategies , and thus be able to go step by step improving the technological quality of our family.

Many times, we find ourselves with the situation of wanting to change everything at once. When, with small changes, awareness improves and other changes occur that we had not valued or anticipated to be positive as well.

On the contrary, when we implement a change, we may find that there are others that are not so positive and that we also have to deal with them.

So it is very important to go step by step and measure our impact on these changes very well. You have to evaluate if they fit into the family, if they don't fit, if they fit some profiles but not others, etc.

We are and we will be your example

We have to be clear that we as parents are going to be the first objects of observation . Because when it comes to children the example and the shadow is ours.

Many times children do not do what we tell them, they do what we do and we see a very incoherent discourse at the level of technological education. Because I don't do what I say as a father or mother. We have to start with ourselves, and you will see how implementing changes in our technological routine and our device viewing habits will change all family dynamics.

For example, we can do parking dynamics that I call them. They consist of having a space and place in the house, to leave the devices once inside. I will only be able to see them if I get close to that space, and I have to put them back down once I have finished using that device. But this action must be done by all members of the family.

And through this example, you have to understand that we are the beginning, but they are the end. Let me explain, we can start with dynamics that occur to us as parents, but we also put our children's brains to think about dynamics that can be improvements in non-digital communication at home. Improvements in the use of technology within the family space.

Another strategy that is often used a lot when our children are older is that on the home computer, we as parents are the only ones who have access to the Internet. Always be in the room so we can take a look, always using a little more advanced technology.

This is also very useful for our children to have a model and a completely balanced task between them.

How to adapt these changes at home?

It is super important that we adapt all these changes to each child. We are very aware that we have many different profiles at home.

The child with communication difficulties, the child with adolescence, the six-year-old child who has a hard time putting down the tablet...

We will have to make a strategy for each one of them , and evaluate their effort and dedication in order to their difficulties and their capabilities. All children have the ability to adapt and learn a lot of things, but we have to find the way in which they learn.

In this environment that is of great preference for them, we can play a lot with that attraction to make that activity as familiar as possible. It will always be adapted to each child, if he does not recognize the parking space, we will put a visual indicator so that he recognizes it. This way we will strengthen what other children acquire without any difficulty.

The times with the use of technologies will be different for each of the children and it is very important that there is consensus and acceptance for each of them. There will be older children who can stay longer or children who have difficulties and do extra stimulation activities through these devices. But it is very valuable that, although we adapt these tools to each child, we give everyone the opportunity to manage their time as autonomously as possible . It will be the best strategy to be successful in all these dynamics.

That is why we always look for motivation , look for ideas, involve them in the process, make it fun. Even create technological moments as a family to enjoy, and teach them to enjoy them together.

Technology is looked at in an individualistic way , but there are many technological moments that we experience as a family in a natural, super fun and interactive way. So if we have to establish technological dynamics, it is good to try to look for those that also give us a social tool within the family.

In addition, you have to motivate all the ideas that your children can give you. We will reward achievements and moments of contention, with a rewards program so they know they are on the right path.

It is a very complex task, but not impossible as I said. The most important thing is to look at our children in particular.

Share responsibilities at the family level

It is necessary that here we share responsibilities and that all elements of the family get involved at all levels.

It doesn't help if dad and the kids are involved and mom is away. It is NOT of any use nor is it effective at all if we leave a teenager out of this digital strategic moment. It is very important that, once we have thought about what we are going to do and what ideas each of us has about what needs to be done so that there is consensus, we involve the children solidly.

It is very important to go little by little, with conversations with our partner to start seeing what little things we can do. Propose them to the children, seeing what their reaction is and, little by little, hold monthly meetings to evaluate this activity.

It is a family job and example is essential to move forward together. Effort by all parties, rewards for all parties and dynamics that contribute to all parties.

Sometimes we find very complex dynamics, such as, for example, that technology has come to take over all family dynamics. There are very disruptive and complex behaviors to carry out in cases where this happens. It is very important to ask for help from professionals. This will be the way to clean in a much more effective and faster way all the forest undergrowth that has grown uncontrollably.

Do not be afraid to ask for help, because going to a professional who has successfully led this for many families, makes us have more clarity within the forest.

Many times we try to take care of their problems ourselves without success and we end up getting frustrated. Sometimes with a session or two, with a therapist, it helps you organize and prioritize what your family needs, what your child needs.

The technological issue and how our children implement technology as uninterrupted leisure is due to the fact that there is little autonomy within the house. There is little responsibility in household chores. At home there are many things in which our children can participate to a greater or lesser extent and that occupy part of the day. How to tidy up your room, take out the dishwasher, set the table, pick up the toys, clean the room, vacuum...

All of these dynamics can make our children much more involved at home, acquire habits of order and cleanliness, and spend their time on tasks that will benefit them in the future.

They often say that a tidy room is like a tidy head, and involving our children in daily tasks is strictly necessary for a good family dynamic. It is not healthy for mom and dad to spend all day here and there picking up everything, organizing everything, cleaning everything. So little by little, think about all those aspects of autonomy and responsibility at home that we can simultaneously set as challenges to counteract that technological part that is occupying an essential place in education from home.

It is necessary to have an individual family plan

That's why we have to have an individual family plan , even a document in which we put all the brainstorming . First mom and dad. Then project it to our children and see what they think.

When I talk about an individual family plan I'm talking about describing things, having documents where we write down all the things that are happening to us. Where we collect those charts with the weekly challenges and go little by little, each one at their own level and to their extent, recognizing the effort and growth as a family in terms of digital education.

Surely that's something that occurs to you: visual cards to determine the time, using clocks to measure time with the devices, using alarms so that they leave the devices and everything is much more auditory and visual. It is very important to be very imaginative and think that we are using all these strategies with children, so the more visual everything is, the more understandable and graphic the process will be.

Important tips

It is very important to have details with our children , spend quality time with them and you will see that when we remove all the technological issues. We guide it much more strictly, details and situations begin to emerge that add to our family level. Talk to other families to see what they are doing with the issue, put them on the Internet to see strategies, but that first assessment and observation is very important, to know if it is really worth making a specific strategy for our family.

All families have to educate themselves digitally but it is true that some are not much more integrated than others. So those small details that add up and that tell us that our family needs to go there are very important.

It is important to specify the challenges, at the individual level, at the time level, at the level of spaces, at the level of devices... We have to little by little put it stone by stone but be super specific. With very small changes to feel that we can.

Sometimes we tend to set very big challenges that only lead us to frustration and failure, but the truth is, we have to go step by step and change or change until we live it, evaluate it, integrate it and achieve it.

No one can deny that technology is a tool. Even to structure this entire individualized digital family plan, we could use a computer with our children to create that table, take some photos of the prizes, print them, and be able to have an unparalleled technological moment while we try to control the technology, at home.

Thinking that the world of work, school, family, is going to be full of devices. So it is very important that we establish those guidelines that will make the child prioritize and self-control in environments where technology is at hand.

It is a family challenge, but it is also a social and educational challenge within the classrooms. There I leave you that it is also interesting to lean on your professionals, the teachers, to ask them for advice. Because they are the first to use technology in the classrooms, without having to do an intervention with a specialized therapist, you have professionals in the educational world at your hand who also know your child perfectly and can tell you strategies that work for them in the classroom. classroom not only with your children but with other children. Yes, we encourage you to count on them and involve them in this task at least at the level of planning and ideas.

Do not leave aside, the times

Also, as I mentioned, it is important from time to time . For example, every month every three months, try to think and readjust how the digital issue is grounded in our house . Take that individual family plan and review it again and readjust the entire series of aspects that have changed in that time .

It is not something we are going to do today and it will serve us for life. Our children continue to grow and will undergo other challenges, other evolutionary stages and technology also continues to evolve in parallel. So it is our duty as parents, we must keep updating ourselves in all those series of aspects that are emerging with this technological development and with that particular and evolutionary need that our children have.

It is very important to see the differences of the people who make up the family to use them strategically . That is to say, mom may have a certain skill for some things, dad has a certain skill for others, the brother sometimes has the ability to remove the device from our children with communication difficulties better than we do.

We must be strategic and recognize the potential of each person to be able to use it for the benefit of the entire family , because we have several profiles, we have several possibilities for action. With that recognition of assuming that that person is better in that dynamic than you, we also give that person strength, and in addition all the dynamics are much more natural because they serve the people who handle them best. The difference, although it sometimes seems like a difficulty, is often a great help.

To close the chapter. You have to keep in mind that this is like a book that has no end, that it is going to bring many chapters, that it is going to bring many adventures and that we are going to have to adapt over time and the social and technological changes that we are going to follow. seeing in the coming years.

So if it is now a topic to stop and reflect on, it will continue to be much more so every day. Because technological management is not only for children, we parents have phones, tablets, computers and we are connected all day. So it is super important to reflect so that this technology stops being a tool for us and ends up breaking many family, emotional and bond dynamics, even family leisure.

Thank you to all the families who participated in this last webinar. Soon, we will tell you the topic of the next one. So stay tuned to our networks.

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