Dance Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

Our son's CP is much more disabling than this guy's; however, I'm struck by what dance and music might be able to do to improve Andrew's body awareness and interest in physical therapy. Could we use this approach to increase his desire to "work" on his body, rather than just accepting its limitations? Might this actually make therapy fun, after all these years? Interesting food for thought on this post-Thankgiving morning. Thanks to my friend, Caroline, for sharing.

Problem Solving -- One at a Time

Yesterday was a banner day, and more typical than I'd like to admit, actually. I spent the morning celebrating all of our son's cognitive achievements over the past 6-12 months. He's made strides we never could have anticipated and really is proud of his accomplishments. The afternoon arrived, however, and took the wind out of my sails. A very well-intentioned therapist pointed out too many physical issues facing Andrew (and our family)...and threw me into a parental guilt-fest the likes of which I haven't experienced in awhile. My husband and kids tried to put things in perspective for me last night, but alas I continued to sulk until bedtime. Then I saw the light. I just need to tackle things one-problem-at-a-time. Really.

Problem solving is a skill we all need to master, especially me. It's equally important for our children, especially those with "special needs." My approach, though not always perfect (especially according to the therapist I consulted with yesterday!), generally works pretty well for a family that needs balance and time for fun and love of life:

1) Make a list. I have one for each child, as well as for myself. If there's something that needs to be "solved" or addressed, it goes on there. When I have time to deal with it, I do. Otherwise, I don't let it cloud up my day.

2) Gather the troops. I don't believe in reinventing the wheel unless it's absolutely necessary. Sharing information with others, and consulting them for their advice and opinions, lets us learn from people's experiences so we don't have to repeat their mistakes or spend an inordinate amount of time online researching things someone else has already obsessed about. Am going to send an email this morning to friends that addresses therapist's concerns from yesterday. Hopefully, someone can point me in the right direction and help solve some of my current Andrew-related problems.

3) Make others help. Why must I automatically manage all the family's problems? Our kids and my husband are equally if not more capable. I've learned to delegate. My mantra: use your brain first before you ask me to use mine!

4) Look for teachable moments. The walls of our house are filled with ding marks. How else does Andrew learn to drive his powerchair? If we're constantly telling him, "Stop," or "Turn," he'll never figure out how and when to do things himself. This is perhaps the best metaphor I could come up with. We need to let our kids have their drywall dings...everywhere.

5) Denial is a great way to avoid becoming overwhelmed. A wise man once told us that truly good parents will never really neglect the problems of their children. If it helps to stop thinking about a problem for awhile simply because it's taking over your life -- do it. If this causes more stress, then it's obviously not the answer. If it gives you a break, though, and time to refocus and store up strength -- go for it. Probably no harm done, really.

On that note, I'm taking the dog for a walk. My problems won't go away...but maybe I'll figure out how to solve a few while I breathe in the beautiful fall air!