26/03/2026
"Dicipline now while kids are young & learning"
"Sooner, they will become adults. What you tolerate today may become their way of life in the future."
I received lots of messages lately about discipline & autism. “Namamalo ka ba?” and “Hinahayaan mo lang ba?” were the most common questions I received. I am a mother of a son & a daughter with autism. Both have graduated from college & currently working & living independently several kilometers away from me & my husband. This is my discipline & autism story.
Routine, fast learning thru eyes, behaviors seeking attention were very visible at an early age. It gave me a hunch that there was something different with my eldest. Unfortunately, the first Dev Pedia we went to wasn’t able to diagnose Asperger’s Syndrome, autism type in DSM4. We continued to raise my son as a neurotypical with accommodation at home.
Discipline is defined as the practice of training oneself or others to obey rules, maintain order, and exercise self-control to achieve goals. Key aspects include self discipline, behavioral control, training & instruction, & correction & punishment. We did all of the aspects discipline at home until high school EXCEPT for PUNISHMENT. Punishment was replaced with positive reinforcement & rewards such as affirmation, tokens, extra game/TV time, and a lot more.
The results of this approach for us were:
✅ tasks/goals were completed efficiently (less time on tasks, more play/TV time)
✅ builds character & social skills - able to follow rules, comfortable being with classmates, aware of social norms, with self control
✅ empowered & focus on completing goals - they say “discipline” is the bridge to success; for my neurodivergent children completing a task efficiently means more time to play or activities they like
✅ provided structure, common understanding - Our Dev Pedia & Psychologist/Therapist once said “Want to teach a skill? Put that in their routine.”
Another key feature to be successful on this is to know how your child with autism learns fast. For my neurodivergent children, they learn fast using their eyes. Their pseudo-decoding skill is way above their physical age (based on ASD assessment tests). I saw this thru observation & a “present mom” on my rest days (no work).
In summary, DISCIPLINE was very helpful in shaping the values & behaviors that helped my neurodivergent children to become independent & productive! Sooner, they will become adults. What you tolerate today may become their way of life in the future. Do you feel comfortable with it? Kaya po maging mabuting tao ang batang pinalaki na walang palo 😊
Discipline now while kids are young & learning 💕🌈❤️ 🧩 💕
