Otters
Mikey loved the otters at our local aquarium. He would sit in the same spot every time (and he still does) and watch them for as long as I would let him. Eventually, another group would come along, and I’d suggest that we give them a turn. Mikey would always oblige.
I know that in real life, they are wild animals, but in the aquarium, behind the glass, they seem very Mikey-like. You might call them his spirit animal. They are silly! They love to have fun and they never stop moving! They have toys right in their tank with them and they truly play. They love the water and seem to have extra fun sliding or jumping in…sounds familiar, right?
Now that Mikey is older, he still loves the otters, but the sea turtles have become his favorite. This fits with his more mature self. He’s more chill, but still super cool. His pool routine is slightly less otter and slightly more sea turtle. There’s still some jumping in and running around, but there’s lots of calm floating and enjoying his surroundings.
And, to this day, Mikey is always up for a trip to the aquarium.
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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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