- My name is Liz,
and my husband Dave and I have four beautiful kids.
John and Jordan are both on the autism spectrum.
With autism, you have your set of challenges.
But we believe that their brain works in a beautiful way.
Children on the spectrum can become fixated
on a particular topic or special interest.
John loves building structures.
Lately, Jordan's passion has been baking.
We like to use their interests to help motivate them.
- Do you wanna bake cupcakes? - Mm-hmm.
- Well, we can't bake a cupcake until we do this homework.
John and Jordan both struggle with multi-step directions.
The chart really does help them understand
what they need to do next.
The whole process of baking has so many wonderful advantages.
It helps support reading and mathematics.
- Jordan: 11, 12.
- Liz: Leaning into their interests
has been a great motivator for the boys.
It's helped them with their self-esteem
and their independence, but it's also been a great way
for us to bond as a family.