Teacher:

Today, Nicholas helped me carry my apple papers. He listened a little but still fights structure. How is he doing at home?

Mommy:

Nicholas has been doing well at home. His receptive language seems to be much better – I feel like he is actually beginning to understand us. I have been able to take him to Target (without having him strapped into a cart) – yes, he was free to walk around the store with me, not me with him for a change! And he actually did very well, I was shocked – the trip did not end with him crying or having a tantrum which in itself is huge. He is still stubborn about wanting to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it, but we’ve been working on that with him and we feel like we are actually beginning to get through.

While he doesn’t get what “time out” means, he does not like being put in time out in his room – so instead of telling him he’s going to time out, we give him a choice of 1) doing what we want him to or 2) going to his room to go to bed. We don’t even have to put him in his room once a day anymore. I do have to repeat his options twice or three times, but he is beginning to know if I have to say it 3x, then he’s automatically going to his room. I’ve started to sneak in “time out” so he begins to get the association.
He still remains to be stuck on certain things – like playing with water. He could stand at the sink and let the water run for hours if we let him. Telling him he’s going to his room to bed if he doesn’t leave the kitchen has been working despite him being stuck on playing with the water.

He seems to be fine with the routines we have here at home, but they probably don’t compare to the structure of a classroom.