When we first started Alanna's ABA therapy, we fretted over how much we might contribute. It's expensive because of the sheer number of hours you spend teaching your child. If you hire someone to do it, it costs big bucks. This week, Tyler and Alanna became sick - Tyler especially so. So three days later there hasn't been a therapist in the house. For two of those days, Becca and I ran a 2 hour session each, getting through all programs. It wasn't so bad - tough to do very well but manageable. Alanna even moved up on some programs to new targets or "lessons".
We were warned when we started ABA that if a parent becomes too involved with the therapy the child will stop thinking of the parent as a parent and will start thinking of them as a teacher whom they have to please to get their desires and needs met. But these roles are not so different, and we have found at least (so far) doing a session weekly each (about 20% of her total therapy hours) does not change our relationship with her at all. If anything, it reminds us of the principles of ABA and allows us to apply them daily in her routines.
So this week sucked for the lack of sleep, runny noses, sneezing, vomiting and diarrhea... but did wonders for our confidence in running her ABA programming. How bittersweet.
Have you heard that song "anything you can do I can do better". Here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfHBPusZg6E
Play it and dance around a fire or whatever you do to celebrate your cool.
I've also done Tristan's programs with him when our therapists have been away. And it really does give you a good reminder and make a better effort to apply the principals and practices during the day. There are a few things about ABA I not too fond of but overall its really helped me parent Tristan better.
ReplyDeleteHope your kiddos are feeling better and you guys don't get it!