As we hear
news of several successful Covid-19 vaccines on the horizon,
we begin to think even more of “the after times.” The exact date of this
“post-Covid-19 era” is still uncertain (a year? 18 months?), but happily, the
light at the end of the tunnel does flicker brighter.
The people
who will be remembered for rising to the challenges to help others –
particularly the learning disabled – are in the thick of it now.
They’re not getting too caught up
in thoughts of “the after times,” because they are too busy, doing the day-in,
day-out, labor intensive work.
Popsugar writer and mom Sarah Muoio, whose son is learning-disabled,
is one of those people. Her adjustments in this unprecedented time are more
extensive than most.
Her son is
a 4-year brain tumor and stroke survivor who currently battles epilepsy and
partial paralysis of the entire right side of his body. He is an avid,
energetic learner.
Muoio opted to take him out of school, in large part due to
his medical condition, which makes him a high risk kid. Nevertheless, they are
getting it done, learning as they go, like all of us. And, as with many
helpers, Muoio is eager to share resources that have helped her help her son. Her
operative word is proactive.
READ MORE: 10 resource links for parents of children with special needs
She
writes: “Using a proactive approach helps guide [my son] through this new way
of learning. By showing up prepared with the tools that help him learn best,
we've already overcome half the distance learning battle with a student who
struggles with a disability.”
One of her
strategies is to enlist a behavioral therapist to help her son deal with the
feelings of sadness, disappointment, and loneliness he experiences when, via
zoom, he sees the kids in his class together in school. As she puts it,
the therapist helps him “dissect what he's feeling and identify ways to
overcome those feelings, emotional coping strategies that are vital to his
success.”
The most
imminently do-able tactic Muoio offers is “an organized, dedicated workplace.”
After going with the flow in the early days of lockdown last spring, she and
her husband got to work.
“We spruced up our basement to make him a dedicated
workspace where he could find success,” she writes. “We gave the room a fresh
coat of paint, picking a pale yellow to boost his mood and a calming gray to
keep him grounded.
We set up a work desk in front of a mounted TV that hooks up
to his Chromebook, preventing him from straining his eyes on long days in front
of the computer. Finally, we added a calming corner where he could read, take a
break, or just sit and relax if he's having a rough time.” She maintains this
in particular has been “a game-changer.”
Muoio also
stresses flexibility and patience.
Now, with some perspective, she looks back
and sees how knowing when to push, when to ease up, and when to let go are key
to everyone’s well being. These different responses were unknowable last
spring. Like all of us, she’s learned a lot since then. And lucky for us, she’s
eager to share.
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