AmandaWell first off, I would like to say that this year has been hectic, crazy, and overall stressful, but I have learned a lot about myself and also how well my children can cope with the things that happen in this world! Zion recently was accepted into a study that has to do with Autism and Anxiety. Basically I will be given therapy sessions that I need to transfer over to Zion to see how he does with controlling his anxiety. The anxiety triggers that we found were thunderstorms, being alone, and not being able to control his surroundings. Zion doesn’t exhibit the “typical” behaviors that are associated with anxiety, instead, he tends to cry, overspeed (like non-stop talking), and explain out loud different scenarios of things that can happen. This study is about 3 months in length and I am really hoping to see some results with his anxiety. Zion worries about way more things than I ever thought he did, so I am glad we will be getting these therapy sessions.
The school year is coming to an end and I just want to say this- although virtual learning was not for everyone, some kids, like Zion, thrived with online learning. I am being 100% real when I say that Zion did amazing with virtual learning. We decided to keep him virtual the whole school year, and he ended up with perfect attendance and all A’s for the entire year. Saying that I am proud of Zion doesn’t even encompass how we really feel. He adjusted to what needed to be done and he loved it! If virtual learning was an option for the rest of his school year, Zion would be all over that! I did tell him that he is going back in-person next year but he has all summer to prepare for that.
As far as COVID goes, Zion is still pretty terrified of it and still continues to wear his mask no matter where we go. We were taking a walk after eating dinner the other night and as people came towards us on the path he frantically looked for his mask. He is very comfortable wearing a mask and now prefers it for his own safety. I am not sure how long he will want to wear it, but I am willing to wear mine as long as we need to. This is honestly the healthiest any of us have been in years. We haven’t been sick, allergies have been better, and overall we all just feel great!!
Thank you so much for reading!! I cannot believe how fast Zion is growing. I have to be honest, having a child with Autism has taught me so much about myself, Autism, and the world that they experience. Although I will never know what my son feels and goes through, I am doing my best to understand it as much as I possibly can!
