Giant leaps for our children.... share the joy they bring?

[CatONineTails]

DS (7.10, undiagnosed but suspected ASD/ADHD) only used a school toilet for the first time in his while school career yesterday. His 1:1 came out when I picked him up at lunchtime (he's on half days atm, long story) with the biggest smile to tell me and I almost cried Toilets are one of DS biggest issues but yesterday when washing blue paint off himself (he was still basically covered in it when I picked him up ) he suddenly rushed into the cubicle for a wee.

If anyone else has any such small footstep/giant leap moments I promise to roundly congratulate all concerned and share your joy!

DS (ASD) went through a 'Hey Duggee' magazine last week.. coloured in all the characters (meticulously checking it was all the right colours), did all the stickers, worked out the mazes before drawing lines with the pencil.. and even drew a picture of himself kicking a ball (as was an instruction in the magazine)...

He is 6.. I was stunned.. He has only ever ripped the plastic tat off the children's magazines to play with for 5 minutes.. and refuse to even look at the magazine after that!!

Last night he also decided to do a new 'body parts' jigsaw puzzle a friend gave us, and sounded out 'Heart'... His progress the last few months with his reading is phenomenal but I was still very surprised and proud

These are things my friends with NT children don't understand.. but make me incredibly emotional to see all the steps forward he is making.. xx

🎊🎉🎉🎊 for your DS :)

It's hard isn't it, when such small things feel so huge but most people don't see how momentous they are for us! I remember the first time DS ever managed to make it to the end of a birthday party (with me by his side throughout) without going into meltdown and having to be pretty much medevac-ed. I was so happy for him but my own bloody mother pissed all over my chips by saying "well I should hope so too at 7 years old" when I told her

Oh I loved reading this. My DS ASD age 4. It is so true the little things for others can make our hearts sing. I still remeber the joy my DH had when telling me that he had asked DS if he would like Juice with his supper and was stunned when DS said yes, rather than just repeating him or looking blankly.

Oh I know exactly the sort of bursting pride you must have felt

These moments deserve to be shared ❤ if nothing else so that we have something concrete to go back to and read on the days when everything feels really dark and gloomy!

DD who’s 13 with ASD and selective mutism wore a microphone alongside her friend to lead one of the songs at the school performance!

Huge achievement as last year she didn’t take part in the school play at all.

This week she’s is apparently going to be taking part in sports day - she stayed home last year.

@panettone and @zzzzz and your DC have some 🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉 too!

I'm genuinely having a little watery eye moment at these.

At age 8 my ds did a proper thumbs up 👍 rather than 👈 . Such a little thing but he just couldn’t get it. When I wonder why he isn’t making much progress this reminds me how tricky things are for him and that the small steps he makes are actual giant leaps for him 😍

These are all ace achievements!

Love that you videoed pancake cuttting WITH A KNIFE zzzzz - it was more coventional recording a show!

Nice to share DD’s achievement here - we are dead proud but selective mutism means being totally matter of fact to DD about her speaking or singing in front of others. So I’m hiding away like zzzzz to keep watching the video!

A thumbs up!! Wooooooot 👍 Non verbal communication like that really is so tricksy for some children, it's amazing how much is involved in getting to grips with it.

Today DS's 1:1 told me that they were talking about how to show someone that you're listening to them. Then a little while later she asked DS if he was listening to her, and he turned to face her and took both her hands ❤❤❤ Again it sounds so small to most people but for DS this is massive :)

Oh my goodness this thread 😍
Ds (2.5) on the pathway for an asd diagnosis and completely non verbal handed me the remote yesterday to indicate he wanted me to turn on Thomas the tank engine, I was so happy I called dh straight away to tell him 😂 for reference the only thing he has managed to communicate at all in the last year is handing me his cup for juice so to me he has doubled his vocabulary and this is a Major Development for us

What great communication MissMalteser !

I didn’t think DD would make it in today for Sports Day. She was very anxious last night and this morning. I took her in an hour late and she went straight to Learning Support. My friend is there watching and DD has just run in the 100m race! I wish I was there - but I didn’t want DD to feel pressure to take part with me there. Next year!

Love reading these, such great achievements!

My ds is nearly 5 with ASD and only partially verbal. I made him a keyring of images of his favourite things to take into nursery thinking it would be comforting for him to flick through when he was anxious.

Instead he used it to communicate with the other children!!! Apparently he spent a good 20mins with 4 other children showing them the pictures and telling them what they were of! I nearly cried when the nursery manager told me.

Thanks zzzzz that's good to hear!

It is lovely to hear of progress and how every step is hard won and wonderful.
I just wanted to add that it doesn't stop. Dd (ASD, wheelchair user) is 18 now and just finished A levels. Her school finished with a certificate presentation and cream tea to which parents were invited. I hardly saw her as she was off chatting with friends and obviously part of the group. Such progress from barely leaving my side.

Oh that's lovely ❤

So brilliant!

to you all you lovely parents am so pleased for you. My boast is DD 13 waved from her wheelchair to a lady she knew across the road. Very proud mummy

2old lovely!

Thanks NoHaudinMaWheest at last something bless her!