Lessons Learned as a Behavioural Aide

By Rachel Pagaling  

 

As an undergrad, I have always been interested in developmental psychology, specifically parent-child relationships and atypical child development. When I graduated in April I wanted to equip myself with practical experience outside the classroom walls in preparation for graduate studies in school and clinical child psychology. When I applied to work as a behavioural aide for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) I thought I knew what I was getting myself into – but I was in for a surprise! Working as a behavioural aide for children with ASD has challenged me mentally, physically, and emotionally – all in the best possible way! Each child is wonderfully unique and I am still learning something new everyday. Working as a behavioural aide for children with ASD has contributed to my overall interest in developmental psychology and has greatly influenced my desire to further my studies in this area.

There are four main lessons I have learned working as a behavioural aide for children with ASD. First, they have a fresh way of seeing the world – as adults we can get caught up with daily hassles and strict deadlines. In the midst of our busy lives, we tend to forget and appreciate the simple things. Working as a behavioural aide, I am reminded of how the little things can change a person’s mood and day. The children I work with brought my attention to precious moments and simple objects I would not even look twice at if I were just by myself. Moments as simple as watching a ladybug crawling down your finger, saying, “hi!” to your neighbour walking their dog, or blowing dandelion seeds to the wind can bring a smile to your face and instantly brighten your day.

  

Second, in addition to seeing the world with fresh eyes, children with ASD are creative! They do not receive enough credit for their achievements and talents. I had the opportunity to work with a 10-year-old client who was a very talented artist. She absolutely loved Max and Ruby and she could replicate on paper exactly how they were made in the cartoon. Another client I worked with loved reading and writing. She would create worlds and tell me her fascinating stories about each world.
Third, I learned that many children with ASD do have an interest in other people and they can clearly exhibit behaviours that prove so. While I was running with a client at the park, I accidentally fell and hurt my knee. I pulled up my pant leg to see if the fall left a scratch on my skin. There was no scratch but the client I was working with saw what I was doing and calmly said, “You’ll be O.K.” all the while softly patting my knee. I had another client who, during her snack time, broke her granola bar in half, made great eye contact, and offered her other half to me.
Lastly, by working as a behavioural aide I learned that all children need constant support and dependable people to look up to and promote positive interactions. All children need love and comfort when tough situations present themselves, patience when learning something new, and praise and encouragement when they complete a task and achieve their goals. Furthermore, all children want to be accepted; they desire to be understood and acknowledged by their teachers and peers. At the end of each day, all children want to be loved, encouraged, and accepted. I love my job and I look forward to working with children everyday. I have learned so much working as a behavioural aide and I am excited to learn even more from these creative, thoughtful, and amazing children in the future!