[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Maria.
My husband is Barry.
We have three kids: Malia, who is nine,
and our twins, who are six, Davis and Brooklyn.
Malia and Davis are both autistic.
Our children experience a wide range of emotions
throughout the day so it is very important
that we teach our children about their emotions
and also how to express them appropriately.
Malia, like many kids who are autistic,
uses cards and visual supports
to vocalize her needs and her emotions.
It was very challenging finding cards
that represented who my children are
in their skin tone and in their hair
so I created my own for them.
We do daily check-ins with her feelings
and have a conversation around it.
And how did that make you feel?
- Sad. - It made you feel sad?
Why did it made you feel sad?
My goal is for my children to learn
how to manage their emotions now, with me,
so that they can use this skill throughout their lifetime.
[upbeat music]