Pin trading for a child with autism

[1stluvispooh]

Has any one with a child with autsim done pin trading? I had read somewhere that a family tride it their child with highly functioning autism to get them to try and start a conversation and to talk to unfamiliar people. I just wanted to know if anyone had tried this. I was planning on it as DD 6 (when we will be there) is high functioning and we are currently working on conversational language with her. I'm just affaird that she will either not want to "give up" the pins that she has or will just wear the laneyard like a necklace for days or weeks unend.

 

[bopper]

I don't have austistic children, but here are some thoughts.
Try to pick a Cast member who is not busy to trade with.
Maybe role play trading pins so she knows what to say?
Figure out what strategy might work for your daughter...maybe buy a bunch of all the same pins so she will want to trade for something she might like? or get some that you know she doesn't like? I bought a bunch of disney pins on Ebay for about $3/pin (instead of ~$8 per pin)

 

[Forevryoung]

I do not have autism but I DO have an anxiety disorder and OCD. I have a bunch of autistic like traits.

I thought of pin trading exactly like you described- a challenge to get me to interact with CM's and other people. I was with a child who I used as a model (I couldnt have done it without one). At times it became a sort of stressful experience and I had to just put the pins away.

I did fixate on finding either certain pins (all different Winnie the Pooh Characters) and repeatedly counting the ones that I already had.

To help the situation, it might be helpful to give your daughter one pin a day to trade. Leave the rest in the room so that they don't get lost if possible. That way when you go to trade with a CM, she already knows which one she is trading for and doesn't have to make the decision (saves time and frustration). That would be my suggestion.

ETA: I have the name of a person online who sold me pins for $2.50 each (I think that was the price last year). PM me if you want her email address.

 

[MN Dis Fans]

My DS10 with ASD started trading pins several years ago. We got him a lanyard kit that came with 6 pins - 2 pins each of three separate designs. This meant he could trade one pin and keep one of the same for himself. He enjoys trading alot and cast members are very kind about trading and "discussing" the various pins. I'm glad he has this pin hobby.

 

[SueM in MN]

My DS10 with ASD started trading pins several years ago. We got him a lanyard kit that came with 6 pins - 2 pins each of three separate designs. This meant he could trade one pin and keep one of the same for himself.

That's a good idea. I know some kids (ones with and without autism) would have a problem with giving up a pin. Having 2 the same would make it a lot easier to part with one.

Also, my understanding is that if you want to trade with a CM, they have to trade with you (DH is the pin trader, not me).

 

[1stluvispooh]

Thanks for the great ideas! Foreveryoung you sound like my DD anxiety and OCD so I might want to just give her one a day to trade. I found a place on line that sold a bag of 10 for $30 I was going to go that route and have her trade at home with her brother before we leave to practice but have 2 of the same might also be a good idea. I might try and start at home a little earlier than I had planned with the practicing to see how she handles it. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Forevryoung]

Thanks for the great ideas! Foreveryoung you sound like my DD anxiety and OCD so I might want to just give her one a day to trade. I found a place on line that sold a bag of 10 for $30 I was going to go that route and have her trade at home with her brother before we leave to practice but have 2 of the same might also be a good idea. I might try and start at home a little earlier than I had planned with the practicing to see how she handles it. Thanks for all your help.

If you need any help or insight with your daughter, just ask. I will try to help all I can (I'm very open about my issues). I've been living like this for a very long time and have found many ways to aid me in being a successful, fairly happy adult (I'm 21).

 

[mbb]

Our two guys love collecting the pins - particularly Stitch

We really haven't gotten into the trading thing yet, but I did write a social story cue card for them with the pin trading rules/script on it, just in case..we do leave their very favourites "home".

So if we were approached to do a trade, I would pull out the Pin Trade Paper, and cross our fingers!! LOL

I would hope that a CM, in seeing s script appear, would get that "something's a little different" with this trade, and I could use the opportunity to discreetly say that the boys have Autism.

CM's are usually wonderful about following our lead with the kids, and then as we step back a little, they'll jump right in

Love WDW CM's

HTH!!

 

[lovethattink]

We are a pin collecting/trading family. The first trade that my son made at WDW was with another guest in October of the start of the millenium. He traded the Lady and the Tramp pin we bought at the Disney store before we left home. That night, he woke up and began to cry. He missed his pin. When we went home and tried to find the pin, our Disney store was out of it. We ended up buying it on ebay for some rediculous price. A lesson was learned. Since that trip, we only let him take pins he absolutely doesn't want. The ones he likes stay home. That was almost 6 years ago, and we still don't let him take non-traders with him to the parks or pin trading.

Another good idea for learning to trade is to go to a PTN. They are Thursday nights at 7:00pm-10pm at All Star Sports, Friday nights 7:00-10pm and also the 1st saturday of each month at Pop century from 4pm-7pm. There is a special kids area for pin trading off a board. They may trade up to 5 of their own pins for the pins on the board. They are giving a card and the cm marks how many trades they make. On a Friday night, there is a raffle at the Contemporary at 8pm and 9pm. The kids who are in line to trade get a ticket when they arrive that's used in the raffle. There is also a coloring area for the kids.

 

[tmli]

My ds is almost 10 and we have been trading for about 3 years. He is ASD amongst other things. I can tell you pin trading has helped in so many ways with his social skills that I can't even tell you. His specialists actually contribute how well he is doing back to many things we experience during our disney vacations.

I started by buying a lot of pins (over 100) when the disney store decided to stop carrying them and was selling them under $1. Also got lanyards at that time for $4, with 4 pins on them. Some lanyards are green some are black. The green lanyards hold pins that are to trade the black is for our "keepers". (we have since gotten so many we are into the large pin albums, but still use the green lanyards for traders). The first time before we left home we got all the traders on the lanyards (we took 6 with 10 pins each), we also took 3 empty black ones.

Before we left home we practiced a dialogue and had many mock pin trading sessions. The only rules were to remember our manners and only trade with cm's. The rule for me was that I let him trade whatever pin he wanted FOR whatever pin he wanted.

Together we decided the traders and because they were on the green lanyard he had no issue wuth letting them go...the green lanyard was for trading after all!!!

The dialogue was simple...excuse me, may I please see your pins?...if there was something he wanted he was to say "may i trade for "blank" pin?...he would then offer his trade and had to end with Thank You. If he didn't want to make a trade he had to say you have some nice pins...thank you for letting me have a look.

It didn't start perfect....in the beginning I did alot of modelling. I would use the dialogue over and over again each time...we sometimes would do nothing but look at pins for an entire afternoon...eventually he would use the parts of the dialogue he was comfortable with (usually after I made first contact). By the second trip he was following the dialogue and is now a seasoned veteran!!

One day he traded for a COngratulations pin...couldn't figure out why, but had to follow the rule and mind my own business!!! He said it was so if he saw someone celebrating he was going to give it to them...he did that afternoon to the couple picked to be sang to at beauty and the beast...he walked up to them on his own and offered his pin. Another day he noticed a little girl in a wheel chair with just 4 pins on her lanyard...he asked if she was just starting and gave her one of his pins. He was looking through the trade book at the pin station in AK and found a pin he really wanted....there was a little boy in line behind him crying because that was the one he wanted...ds gave him the pin AFTER he traded for it and refused to take a trade for it. He has been caught doing these random acts by cm's and has received a number of special pins over the years.

At this point he has narrowed it down to looking for Mickey and lilo and stitch pins....he completely does the trade on his own and ALWAYS remembers his manners and follows the dialogue.

Pin Trading can be an excellent way to help our kids with a valuable social skill.

Boy did I rant...can you tell how proud I am of the best kid in the entire world!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

One day he traded for a COngratulations pin...couldn't figure out why, but had to follow the rule and mind my own business!!! He said it was so if he saw someone celebrating he was going to give it to them...he did that afternoon to the couple picked to be sang to at beauty and the beast...he walked up to them on his own and offered his pin. Another day he noticed a little girl in a wheel chair with just 4 pins on her lanyard...he asked if she was just starting and gave her one of his pins. He was looking through the trade book at the pin station in AK and found a pin he really wanted....there was a little boy in line behind him crying because that was the one he wanted...ds gave him the pin AFTER he traded for it and refused to take a trade for it. He has been caught doing these random acts by cm's and has received a number of special pins over the years.

you are right to be proud.
that is one very special young man.

 

[Mike Bartenhagen]

Sue,

I didn't see a reply to your post. You are correct CM's must trade as long as they don't have the same pin on their lanyard.

Also those with kids should keep their eye out for green lanyards. Only kids under 12 (I think that is the age) can trade CMs with green lanyards.

Mike