Happy Holidays!! Our guest authors this week are a consultant and parent team. Lauren Wilson is a Certified RDI Consultant and one of the parents she works with Malia, share a little Christmas RDI video and narration with you all.   

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Lauren:

When we are expecting our little ones there is often a day that we imagine in the future.  So often that day is a special holiday.  We imagine sharing and passing down our family traditions.  We imagine the excitement that will be shared and the joy of finding just the right gift that we know will light up the eyes of our children.  We have a clear idea of what our holidays will look like.  

And then for some families Autism happens.  The days that were imagined with joy and anticipation now serve as a reminder for how very different life has become.  As I talk with families around the holidays I hear the bittersweet emotions that often surround the season. To take or leave I offer this reframe of the holidays.  They are not as was once imagined, and yet they have the ability capture something precious - progress. Movement towards the fruition of your mission previews.

Malia:

Two years ago when my son was just 3 years old we were getting ready for Christmas. I remember wanting the normal childhood experience that I had as a child of hanging the ornaments onto the tree.  I did all of the hanging while I watched my son playing with his trains.  He had no interest in the ritual at all.  I ended up in my room in tears.  Then we started RDI that January.  Eleven months later, I did a video clip of hanging up the ornaments to send to our consultant.  It was amazing!  He handed me each and every ornament one by one for me to hang, emptying the box. This was a Christmas miracle and I want to share it with you all. I only wish I had the previous year on video so everyone could see the difference.  This was by far my favorite gift that year...a childhood tradition I could share with my son.

This time of year is always a wonderful time to mark progress, I can’t wait to hear what new discoveries and growth Malia and her son will experience this year…