- Anchor the day, not the clock. Keep the order of wake up, breakfast, leaving, dinner and bed the same every day, even when the times move. Predictable order lowers anxiety more than a strict timetable.
- Use "first, then". "First teeth, then iPad." Two words, two pictures on a card for younger or non-speaking children. It tells your child what is expected and what is coming next.
- Warn before transitions. A visual timer and the same words each time: "Five more minutes, then shoes." Most meltdowns happen at transitions, and a reliable warning takes the surprise out of them.
- Say less, wait longer. In a stressful moment use short phrases ("Shoes on") and count to ten in your head before repeating. Many children need extra processing time and a repeated question restarts the clock.
- Build a calm corner. A pop-up tent or beanbag with headphones, a weighted lap pad and two favourite fidgets. Teach its use when your child is calm and never send them there as a punishment.
Turn it into an NDIS goal
Visual schedules, sensory assessments and communication systems are all fundable under Improved Daily Living, and practising skills in the community sits in Core. Ask your therapists to write each strategy into a goal with a frequency and an outcome. Chapter 8 of the booklet has a planner for this.