Follow the child’s lead

This is the first principle of Floortime – It is a profoundly important principle.

R is a different child when he is doing the things he is interested in. When he is not – like when I am doing a crafts activity with him all his dis-ability comes into focus – the attention deficit ( in Autieslike R - I wonder if its really an ADHD an inability to pay attention in general or a lack of attention to things that bore them ) , the fine motor skills, the general lack of with-itness and spaciness !

But start with things that he likes or that make him feel good and he is transformed-

Gone are the fine motor skills when he cruises through the internet – double clicking like a pro.

Gone is the attention deficit when he is playing Patience!( I realized he has memorized the Patience on Starfall as he did it without error in one go again – I could see the computer screen from the bathroom window while getting dressed )

This weekend I was feeling a less inclined to be serious about doing things like Pretend Play( Basically things that I am pushing and that R has little interest in )

But I focused on things that R loves – Sensory Stuff ( tight squeezes, massages , turning him upside down, tickling, rolling around in the bed, pillow sandwich, Wilbarger brushing )

And the only tow Floortime Principles I followed are – "Follow the child's lead" and "back and forth interactions" and opening and closing many circles of communication

It was a simply lovely weekend even though it rained almost incessantly and it was hard to go outside anywhere. But I spend most of it feeling entranced in the spell of this special child .

This child is magic!

( Except for when he is a monster like he was last night when he would not sleep )

He was also very verbal for him using the few words he has spontaneously like

1. UP ( to be cuddled or to be at the height suitable to get to Junior Mints or the Remote )
   
2. PISSA ( pizza )
   
3. BINTUH ( mint )
   
4. Shee ( sleep – basically come and lie down with me – he had no therapy Saturday morning and this is all we did – lie down in all the different beds )
   
5. Bos Muth( bonus material – from his Numbers DVD of Baby Einstein – He STILL loves some of these – one of my friends calls them "Baby Autism DVD's and she could well be right LOL
   
6. Spite( Sprite)
   
7. Ssspuh ( to listen to the numbers in Spanish and then Fuhhh in French )
   
8. Boos Coos ( Blues Clues)
   
9. EH tuh ( veggie Tales )
   
10. Muh Muh ( mom )
    
11. Puh Dish ( playhouse Disney on the computer )