Break a Leg
Our daughter with ASD is constantly amazing our family. While my husband and I were out of town she auditioned for the Christmas Carol at the St. Pete City Theatre and nailed a lead role as the Ghost of Christmas Past. We are truly grateful for this role for many reasons.
Over the past six months the transition from young teenager to older teenager has NOT been fun. (For the record it was not fun with my first daughter either and I and certain my parents can relate). In any event-LIFE is all about social opportunities and our daughter struggles like many with and without ASD to find meaningful connections. The theater gives her the opportunity to engage with like-minded creative spirits who understand diversity of thought. What I didn’t fully understand is how much more the theater experience provides- most importantly life skills.
Our daughter is held accountable to her time and her peers’ time. She is learning the importance of being reliable and bearing individual responsibility for the collective good. The theater is her happy place. It increases endorphins and gives our daughter a sense of purpose. Finally the theater teaches her value. She knows people will pay to see her perform and there is pride in having work. These transitions skills are crucial for her continued success.
This period of life is what it is. Transitions can be messy and we are just grateful for the avenue of support the theater provides.
I could go on and on because the parallels for life and opportunities are endless- Needless to say I will keep it short and say BREAK A LEG!
