How We Support Giulietta’s Independence Through Her Dressing Routine

Giulietta will independently use her iPad to identify and select appropriate clothing items from her closet.

We place a strong value on daily living responsibilities, as they provide meaningful opportunities to build independence, confidence, and practical life skills. Everyday routines allow learning to happen in a natural and purposeful way.

To start the day, Giulietta is in charge of choosing her outfit, starting with the top drawer to find socks, underwear, and a bra, then moving on to select a t-shirt, pants, and finally a sweater. This routine encourages decision-making, organizational skills, and communication while getting dressed. In the past, Giulietta has used a visual checklist, but it can sometimes be distracting for her. She now has her iPad set up to ask for help when needed, supporting her independence while ensuring she can request assistance if necessary.

Communication Through Choice

During the dressing routine, Giulietta will be encouraged to use her iPad to communicate her clothing choices. She will indicate which clothing items she wants to wear each day. For example, she may say, “I want to wear purple sweater,” and then she will follow through by finding the item herself.

Top-to-Bottom Selection Strategy

Giulietta will be encouraged to gather her clothing items from top to bottom in her drawer. She will begin by selecting underwear, socks, and a bra from her first drawer, then choose a shirt from the second drawer, followed by pants from the third drawer. This approach fosters independence and consistency, while also helping her find everything without getting confused.

Weather-Appropriate Choices

After selecting her basic clothing items (underwear, bra, socks, pants, and shirt), Giulietta will choose a sweater based on the current weather. She will be encouraged to look outside to see what the weather is and choose the appropriate outfit. For example, “Today is cold, I need sweater.”

Visual Organization of Outfit

To help Giulietta visualize the progress of her dressing routine, she will be encouraged to place each selected item on the carpet. This gives her the opportunity to see what she has already chosen and what is still needed for her outfit. For example, once she selects her underwear, it can be laid on the carpet, then her shirt, pants, and sweater. This helps Giulietta see what she already has so she does not get any doubles.

Time Management and Independence

Giulietta will be given approximately 10-15 minutes to gather her outfit. This time frame encourages her to make decisions promptly and independently, while also giving her time to process what she needs to do.