dad with twin ASD daughters - what to expect

[Civet]

Is it best to just let them draw what they want, on their own terms, without really interfering? I considered trying to give them some guidance, actually 'teaching' them to draw things a little better, but I figured that'd be a little pushy, considering their age.

Is there anything you can suggest to foster this nascent skill, or is it best just to continue providing the pads of paper and the colorred pencils (we go through about 10 pads/week), and let them figure it all out?

They're only four, so I think it's best to let them be for now . If you start putting pressure on them to draw in a certain way it might become less fun for them and more of a chore.

If you want, every once in awhile when you see them drawing you can try and give some tips, but make sure your compliments outweigh them, because they may take suggestions as criticism, and you don't want to discourage them. I wouldn't suggest overdoing it, nor do I think you should try and have "lessons" with them at such an early age.

And you're right, letting them draw and draw and draw will help them develop and improve.

As Adhoc said, you could try giving them new art supplies, different mediums to work with, and see what they prefer. You can also provide them with some books with reference material if you don't already have some, with the dinosaurs and bugs in it that they would like to draw.

Also, I see that you're in NH. I'm sort of a NH-phile, myself - lived there most of my life and have explored most areas of the state. I've lived in Nashua, Litchfield, Manchester, Milford, Barrington, Somersworth, Dover, Hampton Beach, and Francestown!

Ah, I've only lived in Nashua, thus far. I haven't been around up north really, so I don't know those places too well. Nashua is a pretty nice place. Why did you move?

[odeon]

My Aspie son used draw the Aladdin lamp, again and again and again, when he was about five or so. Hour after hour. It didn't harm him. Quite the contrary--he was calmed by it. I'd say it's probably the same with your daughters.

[squaretail]

I moved because of my job! I worked for a small software company in Manchester many years ago, and they were bought by a larger company in Newton, and then the larger company in Newton was bought by and even larger, international corporation.

After the Newton company was bought, they shut down the office, so I started working from home. But, as you can imagine, working from home with a couple of ASD toddlers didn't work to well, so I decided to move to a place where I could actually go to an office during the day.

I moved to Raleigh, NC six months ago. It's nice enough here, but I really miss NH and New England in general.

I'm sure I'll be back one day.

Nashua has it's nice qualities, but it's become almost engulfed in urban sprawl. All of souther NH has, really. There are still many pockets of beauty, but like every place else, much of what made the state special is being paved.

[Sophist]

I am an artist also, and to be honest, the best teacher was practice and not an actual teacher. I don't really ever remember learning anything from my teachers. They were always much better as admirers rather than teachers. That is what has always driven my art (unfortunately): compliments and admiration.

I think my uni professors have helped, not in the drawing part, but in that they've opened me up to more media and options. Also, I tend not to take guidance well, so all of my profs have eventually gotten the idea that when I want help I will ask for it and not before then.