Nerds
Michael is obsessed with nerds! He loves them!! Often, his teachers or therapists would give him a nerd or two when he got a correct answer or did something positive. I know there is a strong body of evidence that it is unhealthy to reward with food…but we did reward with food. It may have built an unhealthy fascination with candy, but it also worked to get Michael to comply and learn many other things. As always, just take our story for what it is and decide what you think might be best for your child.
Mikey’s journal entries and his cover decorations reflected his personality. He loved nerds, so nerds adorned his journal cover (even if this is also a reflection of a poor parenting choice on my part). At least the journal looks cute. Wink.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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