My son does not have any trouble in math or any other academic subject when he is allowed to take breaks throughout the day. I don't know what difference it makes if he has trouble catching a ball. I don't know how any of this helps with "motor planning" and learning his dance routines in musical theater which is the main reason he is in therapy. My son keeps asking me about this also. He doesn't like OT and wants to know how long this will take. He argues about doing everything she asks him to do at home and he points out that he does not have a weight problem and is otherwise healthy and since he is kind of a geeky kid with no interest in sports it doesn't matter if he can catch a ball or put puzzles together or other fine motor tasks a little faster. He would, however like to be able to learn dances a little faster and nobody is telling him how the therapy will help with that. He does like the therapy ball which he uses a lot. He bounces around on it while watching television. But he still thinks I need to just accept his differences and quit trying to change him. I wish I could find a book or article that explains how the sensory integration therapy works and what kind of results we can expect.
Lori H! Lori H!
I was lying in bed last night and had this great visual for your son! Mine is an arguer too. Don't let him argue you out of a correct position just because he's good at it!!!!
A) As an adult I have more life-experience. My life-experience is telling me that this is an important thing, even though I can't put it in to words. I'm your mother, and your respect and trust me, RIGHT? So we do it now, and evaluate later, like any good scientists, RIGHT?
B) Read the original books on SID, I think they are written by Jean Ayer, or something like that. They are quite interesting and convinsing.
C) Tell him from me, that not every true thing is provable by controlled scientific studies, because they are very expensive and difficult to do. The book "in defense of Food" by Michael Pollan chapter called 'Bad Science' is a terrific example.
D) Think of a lever. A short lever arm requires a lot of effort to do something. A long lever arm requires only a little. When one is a child, compared to an adult, one has a very long metaphorical lever arm, compared with an adult, but not as long as a baby's. The OT you are doing will yield big results compared to if he delays and waits until he is an adult, because the lever arm is still very long. It feel like crap for him to press on the lever because in his experience he is comparing it to the lever arm from when he was a baby. You are comparing it to what it would be like if you did nothing and left it to him to try to change himself as an adult... Still entirely possible, but much less effective!
E) Human being are really complicated. Difficulties in one area carry over to seemingly unrelated areas. Perhaps all this OT now will make him a fabulous lover when the time comes! You want him to have the widest possible future, AND that's why you don't just 'quite trying to change him.'
F) If none of this works, try watching '12 Angry Men' together. At least you can think of Henry Fonda when you are standing up to his whining!
((bushlebaskets of love!!!))
Grinity
