We posted a brief description of this in our blog, but we wanted to expand on examples here. Let's revisit this briefly before examples:
Rose--something that has gone well recently
Thorn--a recent situation or problem that exists
Bud--an interaction, start of a process, or step towards something good in the future
Parents are sometimes frustrated with one-word answers when they ask their kids how school/sports practice/work is going, especially from teenagers.
"What did you learn at school today?"
"Nothing"
"How was swim team?
"Fine"
How did work go?
"Fine"
One tool to allow for more conversation is to use Rose, Thorn, Bud around the dinner table. And you decide where to try it for your family and your autistic child. Other options for using this tool:
Weekly school meeting
Reflection at the end of a work project
Feedback session after the completion of summer school
End of a staff retreat
Finish of a certification/training course for work or school
We've heard teachers share their weekly experiences and usually share Roses, Thorns, and Buds about their autistic students who are in the midst of changing, maturing, and building skills. Rose--Carl did a great job in class working on his Powerpoint presentation. Thorn--Mary struggled in class today after a therapy session. Rose--Andrew actually took notes when we were discussing the Civil War. Bud--John started pausing before blurting things out, and he listened when I complimented him on it. I remember using this tool to start weekly teaching meetings (for about a year) until teachers asked that I mix it up and start with something different. I enjoyed using this tool to hear specifics on students and to structure our ability to think back on student progress. It also allowed teachers to plan for our weekly assembly where we gave 3 student awards out, in front of all students and staff.
With younger kids, it's important to explain it, model it, and practice it using this (and any tool really) enough until the process of reflecting on the good, the bad, and the potential becomes part of a routine that fits your family schedule and style of parenting. There are more formal writing-style uses of this strategy online with written prompts, and you can adapt these if you see fit. Try it out, modify it, and good luck!