Houston, we have a lift off!

The teen is leaving the tower! Everyone has had challenges over this year of battling Covid. Most experienced loss on some level.

Some of the loss is just a sense of normalcy. Over the past year we’ve had to move to virtual platforms that have changed our lives in ways -ways we will never fully be able to quantify.

Every day I’ve watched my daughter fall into a further state of isolation. Her extreme anxiety prevents her from fully engaging and even taking moderate risks of engaging with others causes trepidation. Of course this makes it challenging to complete daily task like grocery shopping or running minor errands. I’ve shared that my daughter says, “I am not leaving this tower ever!” AND she literally means ever. Who knew that change was on the horizon.

As a parent of a teen with ASD, I have to take joys when I can. This week I took that joy when my daughter decided announced she was ready to leave her tower. Houston, we have lift off! I was caught off guard and could not contain my laughter. My cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. I looked at her and asked, “what are you willing to do.” And she said, “I’m going to go back to one ballet class and I will try face to face camp over the summer.”

I cannot tell you what a huge win that was for her. Recognizing that we are going to be in this Covid world for some time and willing to adjust is a huge accomplishment for someone who sees the world differently. Further, demonstrating a willingness to try to navigate new expectations is monumental considering the minefield she might experience. Once again I am in awe of my daughter’s incredible strength.

Happy Autism Awareness Month!