Prior to my autism diagnosis, there were some habits that became ingrained when I was just starting school. For one thing, when I was five years old in kindergarten, I was in the habit of not eating my packed lunch. Instead, on a daily basis, I put my lunch back in the bin that would be returned to the classroom. Even if I was hungry, I would not eat because it was just what I did at the time of day. It was an ingrained habit. There was no logic behind it besides: well, I've done it all year, things just won't feel right if I don't do it today as well.
Eventually, I overcame that habit. I think the fact that I started first grade contributed as much to that change of behavior as the scolding my mom gave me. My rationality was: oh, this is first grade, it is not kindergarten any more, so this change of behavior is okay. Since it's a new year, bad things won't happen if I make that change. Now that eating habit was overcome. I now ate my entire lunch from first grade onward. Now I was belligerent about eating the crusts off of my sandwiches. I just refused to do that. This particular habit was not something that I overcame until I was in middle school.
I hope that my experience in this matter helps parents who are struggling to get their autistic child to eat the food that they need to grow.
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