Ease at the playground

Bringing Amor to the playground is getting so much easier for me!

Initially Amor would grab all the kid’s toys, scooters and bikes and shout, “MINE!” Guess how many kids must have hated her?

It took so much son-rise powers out of me to get some kids on our side and help her. I told them that they could help Amor be more polite by demonstrating politeness. Sure enough, as more kids became more patient with Amor, she would put down her defenses/settle her sensory issues and the sweet little girl in her would emerge. As for the other kids who were not onboard…well, we didn’t need to make friends with everyone or please everyone 🙂

Just this week, we were at the playground again and for that day, I didn’t feel like trying to control the world around Amor. I decided I would watch from a distance and see how she “fends” for herself. I was also ready to accept consequences, even a possible heartache,from someone bullying her, running away from her, ganging up on her, or telling other kids, “Don’t play with her!” or “Dont talk to her!”…Yup, we have experienced all those at some point in the past.

So I sat back and watched Amor run to grab a scooter. With my eyes ready to roll, I told myself, “Oh boy, here we go again.” As predicted a girl came to rescue her scooter, hands on her hips, with a strict look on her face. I was too far to hear their exchange of words. But instead of stubbornly running off with the scooter, Amor dropped her hands and walked away. I think my jaw dropped when I saw that. Amor has always been stubborn enough not to care who owned the scooter and just run off with it. But wait…Amor walked back towards the scooter, held it and observed the owner come back with the same hand-on-hips and grin on her face. Woohoo!!! my daughter is not only learning, but also experimenting on reading social cues. She’s accurately reading social cues and making her own fantastic decisions on how to respond! From the reaction she got a second time, Amor decided to let go of the scooter and walk away permanently! Woohoo that’s my princess!!!!

So much progress in such a short amount of time! I know it’s because of Amor’s “weekend” Son-Rise Program(r)….or I should call it “daughter”-rise program 😉
Because we have friends who come over to love and play with her and build relationship, Amor better understands the concept of friendship and what friendship is not.

In the photo is Amor trying to climb the monkey bars, inspired by watching the other girls climb.

IMG_7007.JPG

Fun times with Nathan

I know that Nathan enjoys a game if he asks for it again. Nathan enjoyed the tickles he got when Papa used to stuff balls under his shirt and tease him that he ate a dinosaur.

This was so long ago by Nathan all of a sudden recalled this game. He requested, “You want to put ball in my shirt?”

I knew exactly what he wanted and started laughing as I made the ball approach his shirt. He was laughing and ready for the tickles as he arms guarded his tummy. His reaction was so cute, it just made me laugh more! I spent some time trying to stuff 3 balls under his shirt and we were laughing all the way!

Fun times with Nathan!

IMG_6996.JPG

Super fun conversation!

I had the most amazing “conversation” with Nathan!
Currently Nathan can clearly express all his wants and needs spontaneously and persistently. But he could never hold a conversation. I would have to rely on his teacher’s notes to find out how he did at school. He was responsive tonight so I tried fishing for some clues about school.

If you notice the conversation was supportive, sometimes even echolalic. I made sure that he was not threatened to look for answers. It was more important to me that Nathan stayed engaged and interested to talk to me. I made him enjoy the conversation as much as I LOVED LOVED LOVED that he was trying his very best to keep talking to me and answering my questions appropriately. I kept giving him clues and making it easy and fun to answer my questions, versus asking open-ended questions on interrogation-mode.

Me: Did you see Ms. Eden today?
Nathan: I saw Ms. Eden.
Me: What did Ms. Eden say?
Nathan: Ah
Did you see Mr. Sherwin today?
Nathan: I saw Mr. Sherwin.
Me: What did Mr. Sherwin say?
Nathan: thank you
Me: Did you see Ms. Ambie today?
Nathan: I saw Ms. Ambie today.
Me: What did Ms. Ambie say?
Nathan: (made a funny expression)
Me: Did you see Ms. Denden today?
Nathan: I saw Ms. Denden today.
Me: What did Ms. Denden say?
Nathan: (another funny sound)
Me: Do you think Ms. Denden is pretty (knowing Nathan has a crush on her)
Nathan: I think Ms. Denden is pretty.

Me: Did you go to UWC today?
Nathan: I go WC today.
Me: Did you go to the playground?
Nathan: I had fun going to the playground (now that was spontaneous!)

Me: Hey Nathan, do you have fun with you son-rise volunteers?
Nathan: I have fun with son-rise.
Me: Do you like Nadiah?
Nathan: I like Nadiah
Me: Do you have fun with Jannah?
Nathan: I have fun with Jannah.
Me: Do you like Azizah?
Nathan: I like Azizah.
Me: Do you want me to call her Zulk or Azizah?
Nathan: Azizah.

I believe Nathan could have stayed with me in that conversation. I was the one who ran out of questions.

What an awesome boy!

Praise God for every amazing stride in this journey!