Do you ever take the time to ask your kids simple questions that you already know the answer to? We have found this to be a great learning tool for Pookie. As a child with autism, he needs practice with his conversation skills and following a train of thought. So we routinely ask him simple questions and see if he gets them right.

For example, today we met our 2 little friends at McDonalds for lunch. When we got home, BAGD asked Pookie what he had spilled on his shirt. Any one could tell what it was but BAGD asked anyway. Pookie quickly said “chocolate milk.” Eventhough he knew where we had gone for lunch, BAGD followed with “where did that happen?” Pookie responded “McDonalds” and ran off to play. Seems simple enough, but that’s huge for him. We are far from having “real conversations” with Pookie, but these kind of exchanges are great practice and keep us all in the game. They teach him how to have a conversation and be an active part of the household. They keep us from falling into that dangerous trap of assuming that he does not understand and not giving him the chance.

With Geetle, who is typically developing, these simple questions often give her the chance to stretch her brain. For example, at the grocery store the other day, I asked her why they spray the vegetables with water in the produce section. She told me it was “so they don’t stink.” Creative answer, and true in some way.

Simple questions are great because they give a child the chance to be right and to hold their own in what they feel are “adult conversations.” They are very empowering for a child, I think.