Strategy

First / Then Boards

Two-picture board: first the required task, then the preferred activity.

Action panel

What can I do today?

Small, doable steps for right now, this week, and when to bring in a professional. Educational only — not individualized medical or behavioral advice.

Step 1

In the next 10 minutes

Pause and take three slow breaths together — regulate yourself first.
Reduce sensory load: lower lights, turn off background noise, offer quiet space.
Drop non-essential demands for the next few minutes. Safety and connection first.
Offer a preferred item or activity, or a familiar comfort routine.
Use fewer words. Try a visual, gesture, or written cue instead of talking through it.

Step 2

This week

Track what happens before, during, and after for 3–5 days (ABC notes).
Look for patterns in sleep, hunger, sensory input, and transitions.
Test one small environmental change (lighting, timing, warning before switches).
Introduce or review a visual schedule for the parts of day that are hardest.
Plan a 15-minute connection time daily, without demands, to fill the tank.

Step 3

Questions to ask a professional

Teacher or school team

What does this look like at school, and when does it go well?
Which accommodations or supports are already in place, and what could we adjust?
How can we keep communication consistent between home and school?

Step 4

Helpful printables

What it is

A simplified visual contingency showing "first" and "then" activities.

When to use it

When a child must complete a non-preferred task and understanding "later" is hard.

When NOT to use it

When the first task is causing distress — reduce demand instead.

Examples

First: shoes. Then: park.

Evidence

Evidence-based practice (NPDC).

Behaviors

task-refusal transitions