This was actually written a while ago, I just hadn't gotten around to posting it until now . . .
Think about some of your greatest accomplishments in your life. Did you do well in school? Did you make a significant difference in your community? Did you make someone's life better by being a good friend?
But he needed this sort of opportunity to show us that he had the coping skills that he needed for when times got to be too much.
Because of this opportunity he was able to be included in the activities that went on at the conference. He was able to participate in the drum cafe opening event, sit through some of the keynote speakers, and also played a huge role in our team-building game!
The team-building game was especially terrific. It started off a little rocky for Alex (he was kind of tired and awaiting the bus ride home - so not in an overly good mood) but it quickly changed. Alex did what he needed to do in order to continue with the activity; he took a 20 minute break, and that was enough for him to be able to come back and help us with the rest of the team-building project.
Now, think about how you were able to accomplish those things . . . How did you get involved in order to be successful?
Chances are you were probably provided with some sort of opportunity that allowed you to excel in whatever activity you participated in. Because you were presented with the opportunity, you were able to succeed, achieve, and grow.
Now imagine what it would be like if you weren't provided with as many opportunities as other people. Maybe you're limited to one classroom, only doing certain activities. Or maybe you're restricted to participating in separate events at school, just because of some extra needs you have.
Imagine what it would be like if other people were putting limitations on you, simply because you had some sort of challenge, extra need, or disability. Do you think you would have the same opportunities as you have now?
Something that I've come to realize is that a person can't improve their skills if they don't have an opportunity to practice those skills in. Think about it - with most things, some one teaches you a skill and then you develop it through opportunities that you have in your everyday life.
Take riding your bike as an example: Your mom or dad teaches you how to ride your bike (how to pedal, steer, stop, etc.). But, you become really good at riding your bike because you have the chance to practice riding it. Imagine what it would be like if some one tried to teach you how to ride a bike, but never gave you any chances to practice with it. It would be kind of difficult, wouldn't it?
Lately I have found that with my brothers they have both been amazing us with what some people would consider to be the most simplest things. Why? Because we've realized that they need to get more opportunities to show us what they're made of. And they have, greatly.
About a month ago Alex and I (and Pepsi - Alex's service dog - and our Mom) went to a youth leadership conference called re:Action 4 Inclusion. re:Action 4 Inclusion is a youth-initiative project that is dedicated to educating youth about the importance of inclusion for people with disabilities within their schools and communities.
Alex attending this event was a big deal. In the past he wouldn't have been able to cope very well, with the business of all the other kids, the waiting between activities, the new and unfamiliar environment, etc. A year ago my family wouldn't have even considered taking him to something like this, for fear that it would be unsuccessful for him, for fear that he would display some negative behaviours that would result in us having to leave.
But this year we took a chance. We took the chance that Alex would either do really well, or the chance that he wouldn't be able to cope with the event.
He was great!
Why was he able to do so well this year, even though he wouldn't have been nearly ready enough to do something like this last year? Because over the past year he's been growing and developing more skills - both at school and at home.
But he needed this sort of opportunity to show us that he had the coping skills that he needed for when times got to be too much.
Because of this opportunity he was able to be included in the activities that went on at the conference. He was able to participate in the drum cafe opening event, sit through some of the keynote speakers, and also played a huge role in our team-building game!
The team-building game was especially terrific. It started off a little rocky for Alex (he was kind of tired and awaiting the bus ride home - so not in an overly good mood) but it quickly changed. Alex did what he needed to do in order to continue with the activity; he took a 20 minute break, and that was enough for him to be able to come back and help us with the rest of the team-building project.
The task was to make a bridge out of cardboard and it was a competition to see who could build the best bridge that could support one of our team members. Alex helped me build the top of the bridge while our other team members worked on some other parts of it. The last part of the task was to create a commercial to "sell" our bridge - this was presented in front of everybody. Alex and Pepsi were the stars of our commercial, and Pepsi was our team member that walked across our bridge.
When it came time to present our commercial Alex was getting a little antsy again . . . He had had enough bridge making and was getting tired of the group work. My mom and I were getting worried that he wouldn't make it through the presentations. So we made arrangements to be the first team to present so that if Alex wanted to take a break after that (leave the auditorium and go back to his room) he could, and wouldn't miss presenting. Our presentation went great and Alex was so happy afterwards. His mood completely turned around and he actually stayed and watched the rest of the bridge presentations!
I love thinking back on this one activity that I did with Alex. It was a lot of fun, and when I think about how understanding our team members were, and how successful our team was, it makes me think that things like this can happen a lot more in life, more than they do now.
Yes, people like Alex who have some extra needs might need to do things a little differently, but that doesn't mean the possibilities shouldn't exist for them.
I wonder now how Alex would do in a main-stream class. There were a couple of years that he had trouble coping in a main-stream class and that's why my parents chose to see how he would do in a community life skills class. Now that he is doing really well in his placement, I wonder if a more inclusive environment (even if it was just one class like music or art) would be a better place for Alex to improve his communication and socialization skills. Maybe he's finally ready to try a main-stream class again.
However, I guess we won't know until we get the chance to try.
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