It has been almost two weeks since Functional Foundations Pediatric Therapy (FFPT) officially started our first service block and although we only have a few friends signed up it has been so wonderful. I look on in amazement and wonderment at how hard everyone is working, how they come back day after day ready to try new challenges. Even when some are unsure, they still do what they need to and little by little we are seeing changes happening right in front of our eyes! It has not been easy for every child to trust a new way of doing things and the first few visits for some have been stressful but all the kids are settling in and starting to enjoy the play and trust that they can move, sit, stand, or walk in new ways. They are learning that different is maybe just different and not scary.
Some of the kids already knew me but have been a little thrown off by the masks we are all wearing. I cannot imagine how it feels for them and I often wonder how they can adjust so quickly and start trusting someone when they do not see my face. I am trying to remember that they cannot see my proud smiles when they achieve something, and they can see my joy when they are doing something they have not done before. So we are all learning how to communicate with our eyes and our voices and our hands. And it is working!! I am so proud of one friend who only two weeks ago could not put weight on his arms and could not lean forward to get up to stand and now…. (tears in my eyes) … he is pushing up on his arms to look around and he is leaning forward and pulling himself up to standing with just a little help!!! And my other friend who was so upset by my mask and having to follow my agenda, but she hung in there and already is participating more in our play activities and is learning how to control her body so that she can walk around safely. And my littlest enrollee who just started this week, is already getting comfortable letting me help him play and is even starting to sit with less help and recognize that his legs can move! Today we had a fourth friend enroll in the program, and I am so impressed at how he was following directions and enjoying exploring the toys and trying everything I asked him to do without hesitation. I cannot wait to see what you will be doing in the next few weeks!
I am so blessed to have parents who have chosen to trust me with their children. Parents who are willing to let me do things in a way that is unfamiliar to them. I know it is hard to trust someone else with your precious children, who you have nurtured, and loved, and had big hopes for, and prayed for, and been through so much with. I want you all to know that I recognize how difficult it must be for you to trust another person who maybe won’t be able to help the way you want them to or need them to. I want you to know that all I am is a new member of your team. We are in this together and together we will figure out how we can get your children to reach their highest potential. If they are stubborn I can be stubborn with them, I can be the one who does the things that are maybe a little difficult, I can be the one who they do not always like, I can be the one who they get angry at, but you need to always be their safe place. I will truly try my best and give my all to you and your children and we will all rejoice in their successes and we will lean on each other when things are not going exactly how we envisioned. It is my hope that we will build an FFPT family who all support each other as we go through this journey together.
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