Dear Addie,
Exposure is key. Words that easily roll off one's tongue but hold anything but ease in actuality. The most valuable advice for autism families is, yes, to expose autistic individuals to the world while exposing the world to our challenges, opening ourselves up for judgment or unsolicited advice. Every moment of our lives becomes some form of therapy, walking in a parking lot, going to the store, eating at a restaurant - until one day, when we least expect it, it's not, which brings me to this past weekend.
Living our life of divide and conquer, we found big sister Clara and I out of town, with Daddy home to hold down the fort and manage schedules that included big brother Gabe participating in our local Christmas Parade. This seemed like a no-brainer of fun for our Christmas holiday-loving family, except your extensive sensory issues and parades could have a better working relationship. Crowds, music, and animals historically have been one sensory assault of anxiety after another, always finding our exposure efforts taking a seat for an easy exit if necessary, but something these days has felt different. While your mannerisms are all organically you, from stimming to bouncing to flapping, your coping in stressful situations has shown significant growth. With so much growth, Daddy decided to set up chairs right up on the curb in full view of the festivities, but seeing that we don't live a life of total parade exposure, there was still no telling exactly how this would go – fingers crossed.
As the music started, you pulled your headphones away from one of your ears to get a better listen. Pleased by what you heard, you began to bounce and stim with excitement. From marching bands to dressed-up farm animals, you showed nothing but pure joy to be in the thick of these holiday festivities. Floats, bright colors, and dancing, you clapped, laughed, and watched it all as if it was a delight you couldn't wait to enjoy, and the best part was you got to see your big brother Gabe spreading holiday cheer.
Addie, there's no time frame on how all this works, but the moments that come from it, calm, joy, or togetherness, make what can sometimes be years of hard work and exposure all worth it.
We are beyond proud of you each and every day. Keep working hard, baby girl, and I'm so glad you could enjoy the holiday festivities of the most wonderful time of the year.
Love,
Mom
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