Who am I? A Surprise Package

Some of us are born with a difference. Our mirror is tarnished and it needs to be polished. This polishing of the mirror brings out our true nature. 

With small steps that a child takes each day through parent’s support and various therapies he is accessing- a new, dynamic, and a happy child is born. It is amazing to see the true nature of the child. This transformation in the child is a relief for the parents, the therapists and loved ones. The child struggles to adjust in his new identity. It is like exiting a comfort zone, because of the time he has spent there and learned ways to cope up with difficult situations in that. Exiting this not so easy comfort zone to enter his real zone is a challenge.

The new zone is the new way of life the child learns. Entering that, breaking the barriers of the old him, where he has been for the longest time, is not easy. But with correct direction, and facilitation, he enters. That’s how a child might feel: “Wow!! That’s a new me. I am still learning to be the new me. It is sometimes frustrating since I am not able to gather the courage to exercise the newly learned skills with complete confidence. But at times, my parents and teachers around me hold my hand through the path, and once I exercise the skill, that’s the moment of extreme joy and elation. I just love it.”

The play way method of ‘Eye to I’ helps the child come across the real him. By co- creating joy while playing, the child explores new things, exercises his own ways of doing things, breaks the monotony, makes mistakes and in that learns new stuff, makes his favourites, likes and dislikes and enjoys the good things, pushes away the not so good ones. He shares how he feels in his own unique ways. That’s what makes him more human. When the children come alive, the one who is relieved the most is the parents.

I have a child coming in for therapy since last 5 months. Parents were so stiff in their body language and expression of thought, that it made me worry. But feeling bad for them was not the solution. All teachers taking the child were observing the discomfort of the parents. We gave our all, brain stormed and came up with best ways to support the child. Once we could understand the Autism specific to the child it was easier to take action. We found reasons behind the behaviour he exhibited. It goes like: When the Why is clear, the How will follow. The child became easier to understand, and our ways and strategies for therapy were altered at all levels. This integration of therapy, helped us see beautiful holistic development for the child. The causes we made to help the child be more comfortable in his own self, had clear effects not only on him but on his parents too.

The child has become more assertive. He laughs more, and expresses anger. He shares things he knows and enjoys every moment of it. Seeing him is a treat. He is getting to know his true potential which he is exercising. Actually he is exploiting his new found talent where ever he can. Laughs!! I am loving it as his play and communication therapist. It’s an important milestone we have achieved together.

The parents came in for a meeting, where in they wanted to share how is the child doing at home, and wanted to ask about his progress at Potentials. We were all amazed to see how comfortable the parents have become in last 5 months. Their body language was relaxed, they made eye contact and smiled and laughed. They had their questions and doubts. They could also see, that they discovering a new, more vibrant, happy child in their boy. They laughed sharing their experiences with him at home, and we cherished listening to them.

My goodness!! He is a surprise package!! Keep watching, there is more to come.