Because of the Journal
A while back, Mikey did a journal entry about a hike and social gathering we did at a local park with other members of our school’s special needs community and their friends. My mom saw this entry one day while she was sitting with Mikey looking through his journal.
Today’s entry is a direct result of her interaction with Mikey, looking at his old journal entries. She saw the entry and asked Mikey if he would take her to that park to do the hike. He agreed and off we went.
Sharing
Without the journal, Mikey would not have been able to share this fun memory with my mom. It truly became a communication tool for him, allowing him to share things beyond what he could speak or create with his AAC (an ipad with Proloquo2Go on it, programmed for Michael specifically).
Speaking/sharing about things directly outside of what is currently happening is still a challenge for Mikey. The journal bridged this gap for him and allowed others to connect with him on a higher level.
It was a beautiful thing!
Links
When I wrote about the hike for the blog, I split it into two entries. Both are linked below.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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