Rinsing the Dishes
When Mikey is done with his meals, he brings his dishes to the sink and rinses them himself. I have refrained from teaching him to load the dishwasher because it is a little tricky for him to tell if dishes in the dishwasher are clean or dirty. Your child may be able to do this easily, so try to get them to their highest level of independence.
For Mikey, rinsing the dishes and leaving them in the sink is just right.
He also rinses the sink itself and empties the drain catcher for good measure. We’re past the point of learning to help. Michael is actually helping. He pitches in to the best of his ability, and his hard work makes my life a little easier. Love that kid!!
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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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