Life Skills: Trailer!

These are the steps I take in every aspect of decision-making and trouble shooting daily living skills:

1. - test out sensory provocations (what is too much?)
2. - try out rewarding aspects, and discouraging aspects (how much of each is tolerable?)
3. - determine comprehension of tasks (receptive language style, retention)
4. - acknowledge/address health concerns (sensitivities)
5. - educate the child (purpose, consequences, benefits, supports)
6. - decide on motivational strategy (reward charts, etc)
7. - establish a time frame (note that mastery is a step by step process)

Daily life skills 

Teeth Brushing:

This is an ABA approach to brushing teeth >> chaining
The tools I am using are:

• - chattering teeth toy (for modelling, and desensitizing)
• - themed toothbrush (angry birds, thomas)
• - non-fluoride toothpaste
• - personal cup for rinsing
• - kids floss sticks
• - Dr. Seuss's The Tooth Book
• - educational videos for young audience, on the human body
• - electric tooth brush
• - supplements for maintenance and strength of tooth enamel
• - charts for tracking successes

So far, in using the steps noted above, and these tools, the oldest started having serious interest in tooth care after losing his first baby teeth, since then we have been focused on motivation and sensitivity. We occupy ourselves in the meantime by practicing on the toy, reading books, and working on handling the brush against his teeth. My little one, yet to lose his baby teeth and have adult teeth come in, is still desensitizing  to having anything near his mouth. He has a lot of interest in teeth so we will be exploring and reading/watching more about that over the coming months.

Other areas we are working on are toileting, bathing, pet care, chores, and playing together.