This first story is not intended to be used with your child. This story was developed for parents to be able to laugh at themselves, know that they are not alone and that their situation is not hopeless.  There is a solution.

Ideas to remember for Social instructional Stories for your child:  

When we begin to write a story or teach a routine, there are several things to keep in mind.
 
1. How can I make my thoughts visual for my child?

2. Remember to make the vocabulary something your child will understand.

3. We have to get very creative to keep it positive. It is very important to keep the vocabulary positive. Remember you are teaching your child what TO DO. You are not talking about what he or she should NOT do.

The stories are written by me and illustrated in the Boardmaker Program available from the Mayer Johnson Company.  Many of our stories are written in a format for Preschool children - ages 3 to 5 years old.  There are three (4" X 6") pages of the story on one sheet. The individual pages will be printed on "card stock" (for durability). If possible, I would recommend you laminate the pages as well.

Number the pages you will be using, before you cut them out. Find ( 4" X 6") Photo books to make the story into a Book. Put one page in each photo page - front and back. You now have a storybook. You can decorate the front of the photo album with favorite stickers - Use a Permanent Marker to write the name of the Story on the Cover i.e.

(Your child's Name) Book about

When introducing a Story to a child - it needs to be a Positive Experience. Make a big production about this great new book you are going to make together. Involve your child in the Project of making the Book.

The story is not intended to be a reprimand read to the child in the emotional height of a situation.  The story is introduced like any other book - only this one is personal. You read it as a bedtime story, or during the day - away from the actual situation at first. Then you read it to them just before the situation occurs - to give them needed information.

Like most other "favorite stories" your child will begin to memorize the story - and be able to tell you the story.   

The story is a reference point for teaching a new skill to your child. You are presenting the information visually. If your child has been diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, s/he is probably a visual learner. You will be amazed at how your child can learn routines like dressing, toileting, eating with the family, going to grandma's house, a birthday party, the doctor - if  s/he is prepared for what to expect. Our problem and our child's problem is that we tend to "ramble on" verbally giving them lengthy explanations, and tell them what they should not do.

Your child is often confused with verbal information. Because of their auditory "processing" difficulties - they generally have to "tune out" after the first sentence. The story teaches them what they CAN do, that might make everyone in the situation happier.
 
After the child has recovered from a situation gone "bad" or resulted in a meltdown, you may want to introduce the story again, and talk about what we could have done. Not during the crisis - but long after, when everyone has recovered.  

You can review the story BEFORE the situation occurs.  

4. We can personalize the Stories by amending the text, or the pictures.  
If you want to send a photo of your child we can put your child's picture in his or her own stories. Because of the time involved in producing a new story, there is an additional charge to personalize the story. We can add your child's head to our library of photos and put your child's head on the body of the child in the story. The possibilities are unlimited.

                                                
I have also prepared picture routines in individual pictures, to reinforce the sequence of events to complete a task. The Picture Schedule gives the child a visual reference that does not disappear the moment "word" or verbal directions are given. A word is here and gone in a split second. We tend to use ambiguous words - like "be nice" (what is a Nice ?) - Clean your room (what does that mean? ) put the cars on the shelf in the box marked with a picture of Cars: stack the blocks in the corner marked with a picture of blocks; put the books on the shelf marked with a picture of books. Etc. - "Don't do that" (the word don't is not a concrete term) instead let your child know precisely what it is you want them to do.  We might say "get dressed" - rather than give them a visual picture of each step needed to complete the task of dressing. "You need to use the toilet - or go potty" is ambiguous - the story/ or visual schedule shows your child the steps involved in accomplishing the task of toileting. Use individual pictures to teach a routine.

Have your child participate in putting up the pictures for a routine. I recommend laminated pictures and "Tac On" strips on the wall or door.  Tac On products are available on line. The name may have changed to "Information Strips" - found in Office Products. This is a "tacky" felt cloth strip that does not mark your wall or destroy your wall, like our old Velcro strips did. The Velcro "stick on" strips become permanent fixtures in our home. Tacky strips and boards can be moved from place to place with no markings left on the wall.

You might think that making these stories, or displaying visual schedules in the bathroom, bedroom, etc… is too much trouble.

All I can say is that I have watched a family life of chaos and meltdowns, turn into a much more manageable scene, when parents and teachers have used these visual supports in the classroom and at home.  These represent your child's "security blanket" in the confusing world s/he faces each day.  Each of us as adults use a daily planner or a calendar that tells us what to expect each day.  That is what you are providing for your child.  A visual map to navigate his/her world.