When I first began working with Robert one to one, he didn't have a playroom. His parents were working on turning his bedroom into a playroom but hadn't quite got that up and running yet so for now, I was going to learn the principles of The Son-Rise Program while playing with him around the house.
At the time I didn't know any better, I hadn't experienced the luxury of the non-distracting environment of the playroom. I was more than happy to work with Robert around the house.
I was constantly running up and down the stairs, in and out of the garden, into the kitchen for a snack, up into the bedroom to jump on the bed, a quick trip behind the living room curtain and then off to play with the pet cat's tail. It was hard work!
It was fascinating, Robert would do things like unravel the whole roll of toilet paper and once he found a can of furniture polish and spent about 10 minutes spraying it on the linoleum floor and then drawing circles in it with his finger.
He had an amazing sense of balance and completely baffled me when he would spin around in circles again and again and then be able to walk along a very thin window sill.
Anna would observe me quietly from the kitchen and then give me feedback afterwards. I didn't really know what I was doing at the time but I did know to follow his lead, have energy, excitement and enthusiasm and try and get a game going when he was available.
I had a lot of fun and it was an exciting challenge. I remember getting a game going at one time that involved me sliding him down the stairs in a laundry basket. He absolutely loved it and I was definitely sweating.
I felt like being with Robert for just 30 minutes was more rewarding than any of my other jobs or experiences thus far. I was doing something really meaningful.
I can really see now how the environment of the playroom is the very best way to filter out distractions and hone into connecting with the child and will forever be grateful for that sacred place. It truly is where the miracles happen.
Thanks for sharing your experience Becky, it brought back many memories for me when I was starting out with Jake. Before I knew about Son-Rise I was trying Greenspan's "floortime" therapy and chasing him all over the house and backyard. Learning about the Son-Rise Playroom was awesome, and made all the difference! He finally started noticing Mom and considering me a very useful individual to have around. He started picking up his first two-word phrase "Want ____" right away due to the great stuff on the shelves that I was more than happy to get for him. It was so exciting!!!
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