Cooking is a lifelong skill that everyone should learn, but especially individuals with varying disabilities. Even for our family, I involve our autistic teen in most everything I do in the kitchen, to a point. Safety First of course! We have been a bit slow in the process, but our son definitely let us know that he was ready to take on more responsibility when it came to making his own lunch, snacks, dinner (about once a week I have a leftover night and all he has to do is warm up leftovers or create a dinner of his own). I also had to let go a bit in the kitchen as well because I consider it ‘my space’, LOL! But I am slowly starting to allow him more leeway to do ‘his thing’. Because he watches me daily in the kitchen, he is starting to show me things and dishes I thought he did not know how to cook, boy was I wrong, LOL! I also think that kitchen tools are getting more easier to manage and operate than they did in the past (Thank Goodness). This helps it get a bit less complicated and easier to manage because you pretty much have more tools to work with and watch (YouTube).

At the end of the day, it is a parent’s responsibility to teach this skill to your children so that they can sustain themselves once they are out in the world on their own.

Skills Learned While Cooking or Teaching your autistic children to cook:

Math

Reading

Creativity

Listening Skills

Visual Skills

Social Skills

And so many more!

I encourage you, as an autism parent or even a parent that is just not ready to teach their teen how to cook or younger, that you are not always going to be there for them to cook for them or do their laundry. Eventually they are going to have to do this on their own, so that they can live a sustainable fulfilling life. So, keep advocating and keep learning with them, but the sooner you start teaching them how to cook, then the less you will have to do or worry about, so that they can eventually do it all by themselves. And begin the process….

Enjoy!

By Accommodations, Autism, Budgeting, Cooking, cooking goals, Daily Living Skills, Educational Support, Life Skills, Personal Development, Self-Confidence, Social Skills, Special Needs