Picture schedules: is it just me, or does anyone else

[Pepper]

have trouble dealing with this? :p

I've proscrastinatedfor a long time about putting one together for DS1. I'm very left-handed/right brained, which means that I am not really detail oriented and I HATE having to stick to a strict schedule. When it came to making a picture schedule for DS, I kept getting bogged down in all the little details - what if we do X, Y, Z? What is DS1 is misbehaving and loses his DS as a consequence - can I make changes as the day goes along? What if it snows another 2 feet and we can't get to OT? (OK, I'm being facecious with that last one, but the snow and the schedule are getting to me).

Anyway, our parent trainer from the school came for her visit today...and brought me a picture schedule. I am grateful to her for getting started (at last!) but i'd like to know, for those of you that use them - how detailed do you get? Do you really plan out EVERY activity during the day? And what do you do when the baby has a problem that throws everything off-kilter, how do you make an adjustment mid-day? And do picture schedules really, truly work?? It seems to me that life often does not follow a planned schedule, but maybe that's just my right brain talking :ROTFLMAO:

[mrshalco]

We use picture schedules in the classroom I work in (K-1 Social Communication class). Each child has a schedule since the kids are spread over 5 classes. The schedule is completed before the kids arrive in the morning. If, during the day, something needs to change, we have a Zig-Zag picture that shows them that things are going to be out of order for a bit. I believe every class uses the same term/picture so it's something they understand from when they were in preschool.

HTH some. I don't have any advice about home schedules but maybe getting a couple zig-zag pictures JIC might help!

[karstmama]

haven't used one, but perhaps what's stopping you is the thought that if it isn't a perfect representation it's not good enough? maybe start with some of your child's daily routines, like a 'get up & get going' one and a 'going to bed' one - those might not change so much and you could be as detailed as you'd like.

then for the daily, perhaps just highlights or things that really need to be done that day?

like - 'detailed get up & get going' 'breakfast (if it isn't part of get up)' 'ot' 'lunch' 'quiet time' 'play' 'supper' 'detailed bed time'? of course you'd do more than that in a day, but the 'touchpoint' things, i think, would be the important ones to have.

(mother of 4yo son with pdd-nos)

[elliput]

For the most part, we don't use a picture schedule at home. DD does have one for getting dressed, but she never really needed it. At school, however, DD has several picture schedules, some are more detailed than others. Toileting and hand washing are step by step. I know she reads them, but doesn't necessarily need them now. Also, her teachers have made several picture schedules/reminders to help her with tasks like lining up, sitting quietly, etc. She also has some first/then schedules.

If you need a tool to help- Make-A-Schedule (http://do2learn.com/subscription/product_details/masonline.php) on the Do2Learn website is easy to use (subscription is required).

[Uno-Mom]

I make many picture schedules for my clients and they need to be SO individualized. I loath boardmaker - blech. I know it's a godsend for some people but I'm just so sick of those smug little stick people! That's my personal problem and I'm trying to work through it...

The use totally depends on the person. I know some people who have used the exact.same.exact.same schedule for 30 years. But usually my goal is to make them dynamic. Make the person feel in control. Not every parent appreciates this, but I get all excited when a kid uses their own picture schedule to rebel! (Ie - they swap the icons themselves ... or hide one ... or say "no-next" and point to the next thing to refuse the current item.) THEN I know it's functional! :bighand:

I always try to go for as small and simple as will work. Maybe start with just the major touchpoint events in the day and add detail as needed? Or, start detailed and then simplify (that's more work, IMO.) Often we use a small notebook with velcro icons that'll swap. That way you can use the schedule to explain a schedule change. The whole point is to help manage transitions, isn't it? At least for most. Lots of times I have the kiddo swap the icon themselves, so they get the tactile experience of accepting the change.

It's a major trial and error process. Even something as small as the orientation can make or break it. I have samples of about 10 different set-ups. Each time I make a system that fails, I redesign a new one for the client and then add the failed version back into my portfolio to lend to the next person (obviously only when there isn't any id-able info in it.)

Ok, I'll stop rambling. I just offered WAY more info than you asked for, sorry. It's just that this is a hotbutton for me. I feel these are super-valuable tools for so many people, but they're often done so badly! Grrr.

[Uno-Mom]

Ok - I can't shut up, seemingly. :)

I just re-read your post. You totally "get" the problems that often make these programs crash - life isn't all predictable! You might consider a question mark / choice icon. Or a change-of-plans icon. If you use a changeable schedule at all, then you can whip out one of those as needed. You can even link them.

For example, if baby goofs up the plans : ou can break the news with the change-of-plans icon and then present the choice one which indicates your kiddo gets to pick some super-awesome activity as a back-up while he/she waits for the regular schedule to resume.

But each of those concepts needs its own process for the child to learn what it means. Depending on the kid, that can be easy or hard. For some, it's awfully abstract and requires a bazillion repetitions. One approach I use is to gently introduce schedule mixups in a controlled manner ... on a good day.

The really fabulous thing is that my keyboard is currently strewn with rejected velcro icons right at this moment. Somehow I went a little nuts with the last one and made WAY to many bathroom pics. Power of suggestion ... now I need to go pee...

[crl]

We very successfully used a picture schedule with ds when he was little. I actually found it really helpful for last minute changes. For whatever reason, I could show him the change by swapping the pictures on our Velcro strip and he had a much easier time dealing with it than if I just told him about it.

I used to do the day up until nap time when he got up and then do the rest of the day after nap.

I also found that ds would accept even my horrid art drawn on a post-it for activities that I did not have a "real" picture for.

Good luck getting a picture schedule to work for you!
Catherine

[Pepper]

haven't used one, but perhaps what's stopping you is the thought that if it isn't a perfect representation it's not good enough? maybe start with some of your child's daily routines, like a 'get up & get going' one and a 'going to bed' one - those might not change so much and you could be as detailed as you'd like.(mother of 4yo son with pdd-nos)

Yes, I think that was a lot of my hesitation..it seems like things can change in a split second, and then what do I do with the schedule? It's going ot take me a while to figure out how to dothis, and then to decide if it works for us or not.

[Pepper]

If you need a tool to help- Make-A-Schedule (http://do2learn.com/subscription/product_details/masonline.php) on the Do2Learn website is easy to use (subscription is required).

THANKS! I didn't know about the website. I'll definately check it out.

[Pepper]

I also found that ds would accept even my horrid art drawn on a post-it for activities that I did not have a "real" picture for.

Good luck getting a picture schedule to work for you!
Catherine

Now that's a brilliant idea...I don't have a laminated pic for OT yet, and it's tomorrow..gotta go find the stickys...:bighand:

[Pepper]

I The whole point is to help manage transitions, isn't it?


Thank, Uno-Mom and everyone else, for your replies. I should have said, DS1 is wicked hyperactive (several of his teachers and therapists have described him as "off the charts"), impulsive, and who knows what else - we are waiting for a full developmental eval. I don't really think that he's on the autisim spectrum but I suspect that hemight have some sort of personality disorder. He turns 5 in April and his teachers, etc are pushing pretty hard to put him on medication (for the hyperactivity, I think) when he starts kindergarten.

So, I think the point of the picture schedule is to manage transitions but also to get him to complete tasks, alon gwith the idea that he doesn't get to move on to the next task/picture until he's completed the previous one. But, he's pretty defieant these days, so I raninto a lot of problems today...granted it was the first full day of using the schedule, but yikes. I have to figure out a new lexicon of appropriate consequences for his actions. For example, both he & his brother think it's funny to whack the tv so our rule was if you hit the tv, you get one reminder and then if you hit the tv again, the tv gets turned off. But then he won't have completed the tv portion of his schedule...so I've gotta figure that out.

DS1 actually did pretty well with the schedule today. In the mornings before school we'd been doing a pretty detailed schedule anyway, there's not that much time between when he gets up & when he has to leave for school so there's not a lot of looseness anyway. The really challenging part of theday is ~4pm when I want to start getting ready to make dinner and I really just want the boys to go play so I can cook. that's when they both start acting up - messing with the computer, the tv, anything that they know that they're not supposed to touch (DS2 is almost 2 and i don't think he's hyperactive, but he does everything tath DS1 does). Anyway, we've locked up almost everything already but a few things are still out and accessible, and there are some things that simpely can't be made inaccessible.
SO things just kind of fell apart at that time and I tried pulling out the schedule, pointing to the upcoming task which was something DS1 wanted to do and saying If you do X again, I will take this off the schedule. And DS1 did whatever it was, of course, so off the schedule it came.

Sigh...sorry to go on for so long! I'm sure part of it is just that DS1 is not used to a picture schedule at home. His preschool teacher used one last year, and by the end of the year she said that he really didn't need it anymore. So hopefully all this acting up today was just b/c he'snot used to the schedule at home thing.

Thanks again to everyone for all of their input!!

[Uno-Mom]

Ah ... testing, testing. Isn't normal kid behavior wonderful?

I hope it turns into a nice tool for your son.

That post-it comment gave me flashbacks to the day I tried and tried again to draw a picture of a lava lamp for somebody's board. Sigh, don't ASK about my artistic abilities. The guy looked at me and said (in perfect non-verbals, mind you): "and they say I'm the one with the problem ... what the heck is that picture supposed to be???"

Hope your drawing abilities are superior to mine. :)

[snowbunnies300]

I just can't do picture schedules. I can't wrap my head around it. To me there are just too many variables. I understand that at school there are things that they do everyday at the same time and can see how a picture schedule at school works. Here at home...I fall to the wayside. I'd also need to have three schedules. One for each of the boys.

I grew up in a conservative household but a free spirited one as well. Sounds like a strange combo but it's what I had. Dinner some nights were at 5 PM. The next night 9 o'clock. My mom didn't like the clock to tell her when to do things. I got up in the morning and ate when I wanted. Played with what I wanted and for how long. There was no schedule. I don't function well on schedules. I find a schedule to be confining and can't stand it at all.

It's funny because I don't think my kids are on much of a schedule but my family would say the opposite! My sister is the first to remind me that I have them on a pretty tight schedule. I tell her it's nothing compared to what school would like me to do!

[elliput]

That post-it comment gave me flashbacks to the day I tried and tried again to draw a picture of a lava lamp for somebody's board. Sigh, don't ASK about my artistic abilities. The guy looked at me and said (in perfect non-verbals, mind you): "and they say I'm the one with the problem ... what the heck is that picture supposed to be???"

Hope your drawing abilities are superior to mine. :)
One of DD's therapists recommended looking for clip art or taking a photo of any unique items.

[Gena]

We use schedules at home, but becuase of DS's early reading ability I use words instead of pictures, or sometimes words with pictures. This is nice because my drawing abilities are terrible. For the stuff I need pictures off, I usually take photos or use goggle images.

DS likes schedules that act as checklists. So we do a lot of these. I either have lots of plain paper copies of the same schedule so DS can check items off (good for carrying around) or I laminate a master schedule and let DS checkit off with a dry-erase marker.

For changes in the schedule, I put a red universal no (circle with slash) over the item(s) we will be skipping and I try to leave enough space between items that I can squeeze an extra one in.

Some of our schedules are very detailed and other are not. We have a general schedule for the week that is not very detailed. I use detailed schedules (checklists) for things like running errands, so DS can know where we are going (in what order) . This keeps him from telling me every 5 minutes that he wants to go home.

At this point, we are working with DS to learn to set up and manage the schedule/to do list himself. He also is starting to manage his own calendar (on the iPad). I think these are good skills that will serve him well in the future.