Practice

From Kate Wilde
I started to run maybe 10 weeks ago. This was a complete spontaneous action produced by my body, and my body alone. One day I was walking fast on the tread mill and my body spontaneously started to run. It took me totally by surprise as I had no awareness of telling my body to run, in fact running was the furthest thing from my mind. Mainly because I was - in my mind a terrible runner. Since my teenage years children of 5 could easily out run me in a simple and shortish race.(no kidding - just ask my God children- they always thought this highly amusing.)

Intrigued, and believing that my body must to trying to tell me something  I continued to run and managed 7 minutes - wow- I said to myself that felt good. I continued to run and now I am running 50 minutes 5 times a week.

Having just finished a run I am feeling the goodness you get from using your body to its fullness, and thinking how amazing it is that I have now created running into something my mind and body do easily. Although running still feel new to me, my legs and feet are over the initial aches and pains they had when I first started. My legs and arms feel stronger, almost built to run (which I guess they are - only it did not feel like that before), when I begin they do not protest they understand more what is required and I am running easily in a relaxed way.

Now don't get me wrong I have much to do to improve in terms of speed and distance but my body and my mind understand what is required and are willing and able to easily do it. How does this apply to your children on the autism spectrum???  It has taken 10 weeks for my body to comfortably do what it already knew how to do. Your children are mastering skills that they have yet been able to do. Give them time, give them numerous opportunities to practice their skills. Maybe they will get it on the first practice maybe they will need weeks of practice. Take it day by day, opportunity by opportunity.  Offer them this, without the push or neediness of our fear that they will never achieve it.

If you put a little on top of a little and keep doing this - soon you see that there is a lot.