Parent's and caretaker's lives are so busy. Just trying to keep up with a special needs child can be exhausting, but add other children, a spouse, and all the many things that life can throw your way; how can parents/caretakers do it all? What seems impossible at 6 am in the morning somehow gets completed by 10 pm (or later) at night. When I say completed (if you are like our “mom”) doesn’t mean completed half…that means all-out completed. Like most, she doesn’t like to go in halfway.
How does she make this all happen? You gotta work where the work is, cut off the low-hanging fruit first and if you have a bad apple get rid of it quick.
As a stuffed weighted bear I get to sit back and watch. I know that sounds selfish but I am here for moral support and to help my little star. He needs me, so I just sit back on the couch and watch and am ready in a blink of an instance when he looks my way.
Anyway, the “mom” of this group learned a valuable lesson the other day. When it doesn’t work…don’t try to make it. There is always a lot to learn when you have a child with special needs. You have to always keep an open mind from the hokiest of things to sound therapies… oh and therapists.
My little star can be a lot to manage for certain people but for others he is great. You might feel the same way. What do you do? Well, these little stars are people too, and not everyone pairs well. It would be like serving peanut butter with mint jelly. Ough… Gross. Once a few sessions go by and it’s not working don’t be afraid to say something that could positively change the outcome. If the therapist is seasoned and good at what they do they will be able to openly hear your concerns and address them. If they are not then you will immediately know they are not a good fit. Cut your losses and move on. Time is so valuable, only invest it in things that work for your star. The more time you spend trying to make things work is time you will never get back and time they get to “bill out” for. The only person the suffers is your star.
As the weighted stuffed bear that is here for moral support, I want to help you. You will notice a section of my blog posts called “Brownie Points”. These are my takeaways. If you don’t have time to read and are skimming these are the top 3 things I want you to think about or remember. I hope this helps.
And by all means, have a cup of coffee and a nice chocolate brownie as you are reading. See my recipe blog for more recipes.
Brownie Points
Give each scenario an ample amount of time to see an outcome, don’t just make judgments the first time after a difficult session.
Ask yourself is there anything being learned, practiced, or retained, and are there any connections being made (sensory, human, learning). Can you see, hear or feel that the person is trying to connect with your star.
Is it worth your time and energy to keep going if the answer to number 2 was no? Can that time be used in a more useful way to make your stars day easier?
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