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Focusing on Your Child's Strengths
 All too often, we focus on children's weaknesses—areas in need of development or improvement—and fail to adequately acknowledge and nurture children's strengths and passions. By appreciating and helping students build on their strengths, parents and educators can create a positive environment that enhances a child's confidence and self-esteem. As a result, he or she might be more apt to explore new social situations or exhibit positive social behaviors.
This is especially true for children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD), many of whom possess impressive skills (e.g., exceptional ability to recall details) and strong interests (e.g., a fascination with trains), yet struggle with social interactions.
Unfortunately, a child's preoccupation with a particular topic can interfere with his or her social relationships and schoolwork, making it difficult for parents and teachers to focus on the knowledge, skill, and passion that frequently go hand-in-hand with the child's fixation on a topic.
To discover and help your child build on his or her strengths and affinities, observe your child and consider the following questions:
- When is your child happiest?
What kinds of activities seem to make your child happy? Playing a computer game? Learning about a certain subject? Take notice of what brings your child happiness and try to incorporate those activities into his or her daily life.
- When is your child most successful?
Is your child an expert in history or math? Is your child most successful socially when he or she is with a group or with one or two other children? Take note of your child's successes and talk with him or her about the strengths you see.
- When is your child most confident?
What is your child always eager to do? Does he feel most confident in a certain subject at school? Is she most self-assured when playing her favorite sport? Support your child in the activities in which he or she is most confident, and if possible, allot more time for those activities.
Embracing your child’s strengths can also be a positive experience for you as a parent. Take pride in your child's unique skills and interests. Let your child teach you new things about unfamiliar subjects. After all, it is our differences that make us special.
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al Skills Group Intervention HFA (S.S.GRIN HFA) is a groundbreaking new small group intervention program designed to build the social skills and social relationships of children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (HF-ASD). This evidence-based program is helping children around the world.