The Parent - The Pillar of the Son-Rise Program

FROM SIMONE - One of the Son-Rise Program's principles is that the Parent is the child's best resource. No one knows the child better than the parent, no professional or teacher, and no one loves the child in a more unconditional way than the parent.

I personally love this principle because being in the autistic spectrum myself I think I have a very good insight of how my child might feel in an unique way and I have often disagreed with doctors and teachers in regard to what was better for my son, before I learnt of his diagnosis and found the Son-Rise Program, so it is fair to say that as soon I learnt this principle it was my main motivation to run a Son-Rise Program for my son.

Being a Son-Rise Mum, in my opinion, is more than training volunteers, holding group meetings, filling up forms and applying the techniques, it's a whole way of life, it has become not just my job, my career, but the way I run my life. Authorities might argue it is not a job as I receive no payment for the "services" I offer, but that is because they live in a bureaucratic world, I live in a world of my choice, a world where friends don't judge each other, where friends love first and act second, where actions come from a place of love. In this world being a Son-Rise Mum or Dad is like being the President of a company, busy, yes, but highly gratifying, my payment is being able to connect to my son, being his friend, having him spontaneously seek my affection without prompt.

I thought I would share some tips on how I manage my busy Son-Rise Mom life that has helped me along the years with you:

• Take care of yourself: It might sound as a selfish proposition but if you don't function your Program doesn't function. I visit a homeopath once a month and keep up-to-date with my health, I don't wait for being ill to see a doctor. I eat loads of vegetables and fruit, no red meat, dairy, gluten, honey instead of sugar and limit the amount of starch like potatoes and rice I have. It's amazing the amount of energy I gained by having a tuna or salmon salad for lunch instead of a sandwich. It has beaten the "after lunch" drowsiness that I thought before were just "normal" for everyone. You would be also inspiring your children to eat healthily by example and making it easier for you to prepare just one type of meal.
  
  
• Exercise: As it is hard to leave home I bought videos of Pilate's, exercises with the gym ball but whatever you do create a routine, stipulate a schedule, that's how I am able to write to you on this blog, I established that I would do it on a particular day at a particular time. Always consult your doctor before embarking in any exercise routine or diet, every person is different.
  
  
• Research: There's a wealth of information in this website you can learn from, keep researching, there's always something to learn.
  
  
• Top up your 3E's: We all remember how we felt once we did the Start-Up, the energy, the buzz, create an intention to top up your 3E's by reading Bears (Barry Neil Kaufman) books, reading the messages in his Facebook page, getting in touch with other Parents on the Son-Rise Message Board, keep in touch with the other participants who shared Son-Rise Programs with you, people who do Son-Rise in your area, perhaps you can share volunteers, book outreaches with Certified Son-Rise Facilitators or Teachers or attend Adult Programs at the Option Institute in Massachusetts. Whatever you decide to do just make sure your information is coming from certified sources who will give you the best information to inspire yourself and your child. I created a fun routine to remind me about topping up my 3E's, I leave my mobile or cellphone without charge up to the point where an alarm sounds informing me it needs to be charged and use that reminder as my 3E's top up call and I go and read an article in this blog or a chapter of a book from Bears (Barry Neil Kaufman) or listen to an audio tape.
  
  
• Last but not least have fun! I imagine myself to have the best job in the world, playing with my child, inspiring other people to connect with my child in the most loving way, it is fun, it involves what I actually studied for, I graduated in advertising, I was a copywriter, a creative person, and that is what I do I have ideas on how to sell myself, people, to my child, how to make myself so appealing that my child will want to interact with me and I get to do that everyday without having to leave my child in a creche and not following his growth. What I mean is whatever you did in your life before being a Son-Rise Parent don't think "I am putting my life on hold until my child gets better" but think instead this is my life, it's a wonderful place to be at, it's a challenging, refreshing job and I love doing!

Wishing loads of fun in your playrooms and your Son-Rise lives

Simone