When your child receives ABA therapy, the learning doesn’t stop at the end of each session. Real progress happens when families practice skills at home every day. At GreenLight ABA, we know that families and therapists work best as partners. Together, we make learning joyful and build skills that help in real life.
Your Role Matters
ABA therapy works best when your child uses new skills everywhere. This includes home, school, and out in the community. Children with Level 1 autism often speak well. However, they need support with social communication and adapting to change. When you practice skills at home, your child becomes more independent.
Your BCBA creates programs based on your child’s strengths and goals. You don’t need to become a therapist. You simply use helpful strategies during your normal family routines.
Use Visual Supports
Many children with autism respond well to pictures and visual information. Visual schedules show your child what happens during the day. This helps reduce worry about what comes next.
Work with your BCBA to create a daily schedule that matches your child’s needs. The schedule can use pictures, photos, or written words depending on what your child responds to best. Your child can mark off completed items, which provides immediate feedback about their progress.
Your BCBA may recommend color-coding systems for organizing materials. This creates clear visual cues about where items belong. When the environment is organized consistently, your child can complete tasks with fewer verbal prompts.
Task analysis breaks complex activities into smaller, teachable steps. Your BCBA will identify which tasks to break down and how many steps your child needs. Checklists allow your child to track their progress through multi-step activities independently.
Practice During Daily Activities
Children learn best during everyday activities. Practice social skills at the dinner table. Work on conversation skills while you shop together. Help with organization during homework time.
Use what your child enjoys. Does your child love dinosaurs? Use toy dinosaurs to practice sharing and turn-taking. Does your child love trains? Use train schedules to teach about time. Learning happens more easily when it connects to what your child already likes.
Look for teaching moments all day long. During playtime with siblings, encourage the social skills they practice in therapy. These everyday moments help skills become natural.
Give Specific Praise
Positive praise is what makes ABA work. At home, notice good behaviors right away. Tell your child exactly what they did well. Don’t just say “good job.” Instead, say something like “You asked your brother so nicely if you could use his toy. Great job using your words.”
Find what motivates your child. Your BCBA can help you find what works best for your child.
Understanding Challenging Behaviors
Every behavior happens for a reason. Your child might want attention, want to avoid something difficult, want a specific item, or need sensory input. Your BCBA will help you understand what each behavior means.
Stay calm when challenging behaviors happen. Use the strategies your BCBA taught you. When you respond the same way each time, your child learns what works and what doesn’t work.
Talk With Your Therapy Team
Talk with your therapy team regularly. Tell them what works well at home. Tell them what is difficult. This information helps your BCBA make the program work better for your child. Participate in caregiver training and support. Your therapy team provides guidance and training to help you learn the techniques used with your child.
Help Your Child Become Independent
The goal is to help your child do things on their own. Teach your child to use schedules and checklists without needing constant help.
Give less help over time. Start with lots of support for a new skill. Then slowly step back as your child learns. You might start by guiding their hands. Then you switch to giving reminders. Then you just point. Finally, your child does it alone.
Let your child try things without you standing right there. Give them tasks they can do on their own. Then check in after they have had time to try.
Make It Work for Your Family
At GreenLight ABA, we care about making learning joyful. We build respectful relationships with every family. Progress happens when everyone works together in all parts of your child’s life.
What you do at home makes all the difference. When you practice at home, therapy skills become everyday skills. You give your child the tools they need for independence and success.