Explosions are part of the Autism Room. Anger explosions, that is. Many of our students have short fuses and it doesn’t take much to light them. An intricate Lego tower could topple. A schedule could change. A piece of banana bread could be torn in half. Play could be interrupted with work. Suddenly, a student may start beating his chest and screaming, or throwing himself on the floor kicking, or trying to hit his head on the wall.

We teach our students how to deal with their anger. We help them squeeze their hands together, or hit the table with their hands, or stomp the floor. They can also choose a calming strategy such as breathing exercises, climbing into a body sock (similar to a sleeping bag but made out of thin Lycra material), or going to a safe spot with pillows and books.

We must act quickly or the explosion could last for a long time. If the kids release their anger constructively right away, they can often move on and still have a productive day.

So how do I apply this to my life? It’s better to deal with anger in a healthy way right from the start so I can move on. I generally have a long fuse, but recently I had some disappointing news that wrecked havoc on my future plans. I tried to carry on as if nothing was wrong, but I’ve found my fuse is still sizzling and I’m not happy. I need to deal with my anger so I can find joy again.

How am I choosing to do that? I’m sitting on a beach towel in a secluded part of a park (while waiting for my daughter’s friend outing to end). Only my dog can see me. I’m writing (my greatest release) and literally stomping my feet and pounding the ground. Don’t judge me—it really does help. I still have some huge question marks, but at least my pressure valve has been twisted off and I can release my anger.

Thank you for the reminder, my autistic friends. I’m practicing what I preach—and I feel better.