A friend of mine forwarded this short video to me about a young man whose parents were told that he would never walk. The child found an interest in the sport golf and as a young man completed a goal of his and touched many lives. Watch this short video – it is truly inspirational!
http://vodpod.com/watch/1165857-walk-on-espn-video
In the recent months, we have had many changes here, resulting in my small hiatus from writing on my blog. Jacob has transitioned from our cozy home in the Early Intervention Program to The Chicago Public School system. We have also gotten a new therapy team at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. But I have truly began to realize that I have to provide my child with as many experiences as I can. I have to give him the chance to try new things, whether he succeeds or fails.
I think we can all agree that sometimes it is easier to just do things for our children. Sometimes we just don’t have the extra 20 minutes to climb up the stairs when I can get us up in 1 minute. Sometimes, we just dont have the extra time to clean up after lunch, so it is easier to feed him the messy foods. But at some point, we have to make them accountable for themselves. I am so excited for the lazy days of summer! There is no rush to get us up the stairs- it can take us all afternoon.
We have permanently removed the word “Can’t” from our vocabulary. I don’t care if he is not walking independently… yet. I don’t care that he cannot run… yet. I don’t care that he is not saying many complete sentences…yet. Because we will practice everyday. And we will not give up… until one day he is able to, walk and run. And I don’t care if he doesn’t look like everyone else doing it either. The young man in the golf video had his own style and used assistance to golf… but he did it!
Think about your typical day with your children. There are so many opportunities to hold our children accountable for their own needs. Whether it is brushing their own teeth sufficiently, or walking themselves into the store or park. Help your child make those steps into greater independence. Who knows what they will be able to accomplish????
One Comment
Wow – what an inspiring video! We are just beginning our journey with CP. No official diagnosis, yet, for our son. This video was sad, but at the same time, a joy to watch. We have a long road ahead of us and need positive, encouraging information. Thank you for sharing.
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