[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.
Davis soothes himself by spinning in his chair.
Brooklyn calms herself using deep belly breathing techniques.
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.
At school, sometimes she finds it easier
to communicate with her cards rather than speaking out loud.
You used "I am finished."
When did you use "I am finished today?"
- In science.
- It's very important that she knows what she's feeling,
and that she can communicate it.
That leads to her being able to advocate for herself.
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 make you feel sad?
I also think it's very important for parents
to make time and give themselves space
to process their own emotions.
That way, when you're with your children,
you can be fully present. [cheering and clapping]
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]