How independent us your 8 year old

[Zooeyzo]

Do they get dressed for school without help or do any chores around the house?
Can they get their bag ready for school remembering their PE kit drink bottle and lunch box?
Can they shower dry and put pyjamas on?

My 8 year old DS can do all of that with prompting and reminders, he is autistic and has ADHD. I have expected him to get himself dressed since he was 5 though so I imagine it’s years of practise!

@notahappybunny7 I imagine it’s also because Aspergers and Autism diagnosis have also been combined recently. My son is a very intelligent, high-functioning Asperger’s type, but his diagnosis is ‘Autism’. There will be far more children and adults now with straight Autism diagnosis.

Yes to showering, dressing and brushing teeth and has been able to do that for some time. Chores - tidy room, put clothes in laundry, put dishes in dishwasher is about as far as it goes. School bag, yes but needs a bit of prompting some days.

As of this year he has gotten his own clothes out, he has been getting dressed independently for the last two years, with help just for tricky fastenings. Main change is that PE is two consecutive days at the start of the week so I know he can recall what days are PE versus normal uniform. Does shower, teeth etc. independently though requires prompting and a bit of monitoring to make sure he does them properly.

He can manage anything that is the same routine every day, anything with a change is more difficult. He possibly has ADHD. There is no way he would be able to pack his bag each day due to what he needs changing most days. He still asks nearly every day about what clubs he has but has recently started to remember more often. I think doing some bits himself does help him to remember as he is a physical learner.

If something isn’t in an obvious place he struggles massively though, can’t find anything and barely wants to look. Though I don’t think that’s hugely uncommon.

The more interested he is in an activity the more likely he is to remember it! Not a surprise though. For example he would panic if given the responsibility to pack his bag but if he sees me making his packed lunch (twice a week) he always asks me panicked if I’ve packed it when we are on the way to school, despite the fact I haven’t forgotten it even once. Will increase his personal responsibility bit by bit as by secondary school I’d expect him to do his own bag.

She was a bit timid and disorganised, but since we got her the chimney sweeping job she’s come on leaps and bounds. Dresses herself, earns her own money, and even has her own brushes.