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Providing Sameness and Routine While Living in Unfamiliar Surroundings

November 3, 2012 By
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Many children with special needs thrive in an environment with a high degree of predictability, sameness and routine. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, life is anything but what our kids need to succeed. Often entire families, neighborhoods or communities are in the flux of confusion, chaos and change and will be for quite some time to come. Putting sameness and routine back into your child’s life as quickly as possible will be helpful. How can you do that when you have no idea what life will hold for you and your family in the days ahead?

Here is one simple strategy that can be used in many different ways:
Visually mark what belongs to your child. You can do this with masking tape, stickers or a washable marker. When everything is new and living spaces are suddenly shared it becomes difficult for children to understand boundaries. I wore a roll of masking tape around my wrist for several days while in a shelter. I used it in a variety of ways. The more I used it, the more my children came to understand that when they saw the tape it meant “this belongs to me” or “this is where I can be.”

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Judy Endow, MSW About Judy Endow, MSW

Judy is an author and international speaker on a variety of autism-related topics. She is actively involved in many autism organizations. Besides having autism herself, Judy is the parent of three now grown sons, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. Learn more about Judy Endow .



Filed Under: Judy Endow, Life Skills, Natural Disasters, Special Needs, Stress Reducers
  • Darlene S Bartlett

    Thanks Judy, I know this must come in handy to those in the huge region that was struck by Sandy….It is a reminder to me of the things I had to do as my son was growing up and needing that structure and space of his own.

  • Robin Parker

    More amazingly great visual supports for communicating expectations, organization, and comprehension of a situation. These visual supports create opportunities for more independent functioning and are a way to make abstract concepts more concrete. Thank Judy for taking the time and effort to lay these out in ‘visual form’!

  • http://twitter.com/dswalkerauthor D. S. Walker

    I am so glad you are writing helpful advice from first hand experience.

  • http://www.facebook.com/JudyEndow Judy Endow

    I am glad too. When I can use words to help others it gives new meaning to the devastating experiences I have gone through. My heart goes out to the ever so many people affected by Hurricane Sandy. Even today one of my friends wrote that they are so cold as no heat and everything is wet. I cannot imagine to be in this condition for several days. They are afraid to leave what is left of their belongings for fear it will be stolen. So much grief and sadness.

  • http://www.facebook.com/JudyEndow Judy Endow

    You are welcome, Robin. Please share with anyone who may find the ideas helpful. Would so much appreciate it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/JudyEndow Judy Endow

    Yes the information is useful in everyday situations too, Darlene. I am tying it to the hurricane just now as a way to be helpful to parents who are facing such utter desolation. I know how hard it is to think straight and to support kids while at the same time needing to deal with so much loss and uncertainty. My heart goes out to all the Sandy victims.

  • http://www.facebook.com/amangelosanto Anna Maria Angelosanto

    Once again, Judy, you have offered invaluable advice and ideas for parents who are already at their wits end due to the aftermath of the storm, but the added issue of trying to acclimate and help a child with autism during this time can be exhausting, frustrating, and scary. Thank you for these incredible tips!!!! Bless you!! xoxoxo

  • http://www.facebook.com/JudyEndow Judy Endow

    After this sort of disaster it is difficult to think clearly, thus the tips. Please share widely so those who need the info may get it in a timely way. Thanks so much!

  • Sue Thorpe

    Excellent.. Tape may be helpful even at home in non emergencies.

  • Luella May

    Excellent. Much needed information.

  • http://www.facebook.com/edelgado5 Evelyn Lopez Delgado

    Great tips, excellent and informative. I live in NJ and we are helping parents the best way we can in these trying times. A friend of mine came up with another great idea. She is making gluten/casein free meals for parents in shelters that don’t have access to all the usual gluten/casein free ingredients and food that the children usually eat. I think putting labels for them as you suggested on the meals would be awesome! Thank you for that tip~!

  • http://www.facebook.com/JudyEndow Judy Endow

    Thanks, Luella. Please pass around to those who may find it helpful.

  • http://www.facebook.com/JudyEndow Judy Endow

    Yes, marking with tape is useful for many different things. A teacher of one student I worked with put a line of tape on the floor in the back of the classroom to show a student where he could pace. This student needed to walk and walk and walk so was leaving the classroom. Once the tape marked the place he could pace in the classroom, take in instruction and not disrupt the other students. Eventually, he was given a desk he could stand at rather than sit and his learning took off in the next several months. All because tape marked his place to walk in the classroom!

  • http://www.facebook.com/JudyEndow Judy Endow

    What a great idea! Thanks for sharing Evelyn!

  • http://special-ism.com/ Special-Ism

    Brilliant idea Evelyn!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/nelle.frances Nelle Frances

    A great article with awesome ideas, and many that we could implement into all unfamiliar environments for Asperger children, such as school camp, excursion outings, moving house etc.