Teaching My Autistic Child Microwave Skills: The "1-1-Start" Method

At lunchtime, my daughter will grab crackers or other foods she can eat right away. But if there's leftover pizza or pasta that needs heating, she'll just ignore it - even though I know she likes those foods.

For the longest time, I'd notice the good food sitting there untouched and end up heating it for her. She'd eat it happily once it was warm, but she wouldn't try to use the microwave herself.

I wanted her to learn this skill. The problem? Numbers and time don't mean anything to her. "Heat it for 90 seconds" or "press 1:30" - those are just meaningless sounds.

I tried teaching her different times for different foods. Big mistake. Too confusing.

What ended up working was much simpler. I taught her one thing: press "1-1-Start" and repeat until the food feels warm. That's it.

On our microwave, "1-1-Start" equals 11 seconds. She does it twice for pizza, three times for pasta, however many times she needs.

This might help other families dealing with similar challenges - kids who don't understand numbers, time, or quantities but can learn simple, repetitive actions.

The "1-1-Start" Method I Use

Instead of teaching my daughter complicated timing, I simplified everything into one repeatable action.

Here's what we do:

• 🍕 Step 1: Put food on a plate
• ⏺️ Step 2: Press "1," then "1," then "Start"
• 👆 Step 3: Touch the food to see if it's warm
• 🔁 Step 4: Still cold? Do step 2 again

That's it: no timers, no math, no different rules for different foods.

Pizza usually needs it twice. Pasta three times. She decides when it's warm enough.

I use FirstThenBoard to create this visual routine, so she can see exactly what comes next on my phone or tablet.

Why This Simple Approach Works for Autism

My daughter struggles with abstract concepts like time. When I used to say "heat for one minute," she had no idea what that meant in real terms.

But "press these same two buttons" is concrete. She can see the buttons. She can press them. She can touch the food and feel if it's warm.

The repetition actually builds her confidence instead of overwhelming her. Each time she presses "1-1-Start," she's successful. The food gets a little warmer, and she's in control of the process.

Visual supports like First-Then boards work because they replace guesswork with clear steps. My daughter doesn't need to remember complex instructions - she just follows the pictures.

How I Introduced the Microwave Routine

I didn't sit her down for a formal lesson. That never works with her.

Instead, I made it part of our regular lunch routine. When she brought me her cold pizza, I showed her the visual schedule on my phone.

My approach was simple:

• Point to food card → "First, put pizza in microwave"
• Point to buttons card → "Then, press 1-1-Start"
• Point to checking card → "Then, touch to check"

I showed her this routine about 2-3 times per day during meal times for about a week.

The key was keeping it casual and not making a big deal about it.

What Happened After Using This Method

After about a week, something changed. Instead of ignoring the leftover pizza, she started going to the microwave herself.

She'd put her food in, press "1-1-Start," touch it to check, and repeat until it felt right to her. Then she'd just start eating.

The breakthrough was when I realized she wasn't avoiding the food anymore. She was actually eating the pizza and pasta instead of just grabbing crackers.

Now she uses the microwave on her own. No asking for help, no avoiding foods that need heating. She just does the routine and eats when she's satisfied with the temperature.

Other Ideas That Help

The "1-1-Start" method is my main approach, but I've learned other things that help make microwave use safer and easier.

Start with her favorite foods first: I began with pizza because she was most motivated to learn with something she really wanted to eat.

Use microwave-safe plates only: I keep specific plates that are always safe for the microwave, so she doesn't have to guess which ones to use.

Practice during calm times: We never practice new skills when she's hungry or stressed. Snack time works best for us.

Real photos work better: I take pictures of our actual microwave and her hand pressing the buttons, not stock images.

Avoid liquids completely: Soup, drinks, or anything that can splash stays off-limits. Solid foods only.

Let her choose when it's warm enough: I don't tell her when to stop. She touches the food and decides if it needs more heating.

These aren't things I use every day, but they've all helped at different times depending on how she's doing.

Important Safety Note for Parents

Every microwave is different. On some models, pressing "1-1" creates 1 minute and 1 second instead of 11 seconds.

👉 Test your own microwave first and find the shortest, safest time sequence your child can use consistently.

What matters isn't the exact time - it's that the sequence is:

• Short enough to be safe
• Simple enough to remember
• Always the same

For us, "1-1-Start" equals 11 seconds and works perfectly. Your family might need "1-Start" for 1 second or "2-Start" for 2 seconds. Find what works safely with your specific microwave.

👉 Always supervise at first, and only step back when you’re confident your child can do the routine safely.

Key Takeaway

In our case, teaching my daughter to use the microwave wasn't about teaching her cooking times or making her understand minutes and seconds. It was about finding one simple action she could repeat until her food felt warm to her.

The "1-1-Start" method works for us because it's simple and puts her in control. She doesn't need to understand timing - just press the same buttons and check until she's satisfied.

Your child might need a different approach or button sequence, but this is what has worked in our situation. It might give other families some ideas to try, especially those with children who have limited communication or benefit from simple, repetitive routines.

Sometimes building independence isn't about teaching the "standard" way - it's about finding what works for your specific child and situation.