Today I am showing you my brand new, never been seen "Eve Communicator 2000." It's made of chipboard, Velcro® and pictures which I printed at home and "laminated" by covering them with lots of tape.
Very fancy schmancy.
The "Eve Communicator" is one strategy (among many) that we're using to help our daughter understand what she needs to do. She's often looking into outer space or running aimlessly around the house. The only time we REALLY get her attention without the use of strategies is when we say "LOLLIPOP!" which causes her to run with great haste to us.
So here's how it works. When I need Eve to get ready to go on errands, I show her the socks, shoes and car images. I say, "Eve, FIRST we are going to get socks. NEXT we are going to get shoes. THEN we will get in the car."
I have printed other images which I can also use to show her the order of what we're doing and what to expect next.
She's not jazzed about errands, but the communicating device has been somewhat helpful. And at this point, I don't even care that it looks like something that belongs in the recycling bin, I'm just glad to communicate clearer with Eve and see her respond.
This morning, for example, I dropped her off at the gym. I showed her the socks, shoes and car images. It took some time, but she did follow through.
You know, sometimes being a parent means taking a page out of God's plan, shedding our skin and becoming someone else. It means remembering that in order to communicate with others, sometimes it helps to get in their shoes, learn their language, get inside their schedule and their head.
In this case, it means that I should be listening to the big blue eyed girl who keeps asking, "Wan build tower, Mom? Wan build tower?" and then building a tower 17 times and watching the little girl dance with glee when she knocks it down every single time.
I'm not doing it because it's my cup of tea.
I'm doing it because she is mine.
