Self-Awareness Activity

Ask your child about her day in person. Prod for specifics and any incident that may have occurred. Try to pinpoint mannerisms and patterns (which you have probably already noticed) in his manner of speech. The next day, ask the same questions -- this time using Glide. In separate rooms, start a video conversation with your child, and watch to see if those same patterns are apparent. When your video chat ends, sit down with your child. Ask her if she saw any changes she'd like to make in the way that she presented herself on camera. Was it just like talking to your child in person or was your child different in video chat? Lead with positive reinforcement when you point out things your child might improve on. Surely he or she realized some of the things they would like to change as well. Work with your child to make him more effective in his speech. Stress brevity, pauses, and emphasis on certain words and parts of sentences. Especially in the classroom and workplace, the way a person presents themselves is extremely important. Help your child be a comfortable and effective communicator who is constantly aware of his or her manner of speech.

Self-Control Activity

Does your child tend to interrupt others? Does she mumble? Is he too quiet or too loud? Does he stutter? Believe it or not, most people are unaware of these tendencies. You and your child can use Glide as a way to work on speaking skills and learn how to avoid any unwanted conversational pitfalls. Video chat with him and go over some of these tendencies. Be polite, but work to make him better at spotting the times when he falls back into these habits, and try to make him more cognizant of how it affects the person listening. If he's aware of what he is doing, your child will be able to better manage both his non-verbal and verbal communication skills.

Glide and ASD

Good communication skills are an asset to any individual. However, some children on the autism spectrum struggle to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Using Glide as a way to bolster these skills might be a good way for children to get one-on-one practice with face-to-face communication. Because the talking is done through an app, children who have ASD might be more willing to open up. And even if they are not, it's a way for them to experience dialogue in a new setting and gain practice in a less stressful way.

How to use Glide for Children with ASD

• Use Glide to talk to a relative with your child. Stand over his shoulder, offering words of encouragement and prompts that might make him more willing to talk. Even though having someone so near during a conversation might seem like a distraction, make him feel comfortable. Make note of the overall effectiveness of each point. Talk with your child afterward, sharing positive remarks as well as ways to be more engaging and compassionate when conversing.

• Where is your child most comfortable? Find a place where she feels she can be herself, and set yourself up in another room. Start a Glide chat with her. The topic of conversation should be meaningful communication. Talk to her via Glide about they way she presents herself. Since she will be able to see her facial expressions and gestures, it's a much easier way to help make changes, and ultimately for her to understand how she is seen by others.

• Since your child is able to see himself on screen, he might become uncomfortable. It's your job as a parent to make him feel comfortable when speaking. Explain that sometimes facial expressions can reveal how he really feels -- as well as how others feel. Try to get your child to be mindful of body language and use it as a way to be more relatable. Sometime body language can give a listener a sense of closeness that words cannot provide.

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