Term 2 Highlights

It is time to share some updates on my little super hero.

There was this instant happened just few days back, where I called home from work place and my mum picked up the phone, I asked for him. He took over the handset and we start conversing:-

He: Hello daddy
Me: Hi Fabian
He: Whats the matter, daddy?
Me: Oh daddy just call to check if you have done your home work assignment?
He: Yes, its done.
Me: Good for you, what are you doing now?
He: I am playing minecraft
Me: Alright, see you later.
He: Ok, bye..
Me: Daddy love you, bye.

Yes, he has come this far, really happy to see him transform gradually in his learning journey, sure there are more challenges to come as the demand increases from language, social, and communication. aspect of learning when he progresses up the educational ladder.

Sometimes, when I try to remind him or redirect him on certain behavior which yield unexpected results, he will reply "yes I know...the problem is...I don't know how / it is difficult"

Really his reply often gives me a mix feeling of whether to laugh it off thinking that he actually knows but just that he chooses to switch off his thinking brain or I may get emotionally upset that he can meet some of the minimum expectation to our world but does not seems to mind being out of the game. After reflection, then it is another cycle of re-calibration from a new perspective taking, with hope of doing better next time to encourage him to do it right with praise or token of reward if he does well..

Main highlight for April was the 7th World Autism Awareness Day, we attended the road show with him at ION Orchard to celebrate and embrace their special abilities, Light It Up Blue was spread across various part of the island creating an ocean of amazing sight seeing view for many around.

We enjoyed the various joint attention opportunity with him, and I occasionally will play selfie with him too with my smart phone.  Many times, we are our own worst enemy. Happiness is really dependent on perspective. If you think something is a problem, then your thoughts and emotions will be negative. But if you think it’s something you can learn from, then suddenly, it’s not a problem anymore. Inner peace starts from self, once you have inner peace and be thankful, happiness will find you, he taught me so in my journey with him.

When he is by himself, he enjoys his me time watching youtube video clips of MRT, Minecraft, Disney Channel programs. 

During playtime, we let him choose what he feels like to play at that moment, I enjoy playing WII games and mini table soccer with him where the joint attention is maximize. His WII games skill to some of  sports has improved over the years but playing minecraft game on PC is still his main passion. I will remind him to play calmly, quietly and tell him that it is just a game to reduce his obsession of being immerse himself too deep into the game, glad that he has been able to regulate as instructed and rest himself when it is time to stop.

As the saying goes "All play without work make him a Dull person", he still need to work hard to complete his work books or work sheets where it matters from time to time. At night, I will schedule him to read story book with me and review grammar or vocab to comprehend the story to improve his English.  One can be happy if one chooses not to be angry and see every darkness as an opportunity to glow bright again and thinking others in positive light. It is gratefulness that make us happy...every moment is a given moment to be grateful, be thankful of the present moment, a gift of happy opportunity.

We had registered him for 3 programs during his June school holidays and hopeful that he will find them useful in strengthening his deficit in term of follow instruction, social and functional communication.

It is a joy to see him grow and improve inch by inch, looking forward to more challenges and cheers in the 2nd half of the journey 2014. We must always remind ourselves to be vigilant and be constant resilience to make him enjoy learning with positive stamina and focusing on his CAN instead of what he cannot.

Winner's Statement: