A first go round for families beginning RDI® is that they will need to slow down to speed up.
We say it so often that it can be easy to lose sight of the inherent wisdom of these words.
Similar to typical development, RDI® parents become comfortable with mistakes.
Mostly, this is because work is broken up into manageable, incremental steps.
Thus, mistakes aren’t catastrophic.
Rather, they are blips that require adjustment and guides and children become more resilient and flexible because of them.
Slowing Down Builds Confidence
This combination of a slower pace and the carefully planned judicious use of small mistakes helps not only the person with autism but increases the confidence of parents as they guide their children.
This is a different mindset from one of getting a child to do something.
Rather, it focuses instead on instilling and carefully building motivation for the person on the spectrum to take on their own learning.
RDI® Empowers Parents and Their Children
RDIconnect® empowers parents to systematically help their children become less passive and more responsible for their own learning.
Just a few lessons are:
- Mistakes, an important tool, are essential for growth
- Slowing down allows both parents and children – guides and apprentices – time to think.
- Confidence for both parents and children comes through well-designed, focused activities that are purposeful and growth-oriented.
It’s not just work.
It’s often fun.
Our work in autism with vulnerable children is rewarding beyond measure, but a most difficult journey nevertheless.
So, we slow down, but not forever.
We speed up incrementally as the child is ready to do so.
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