Saxophone
Michael is an innate encourager. His personality is very positive, so he naturally smiles, laughs, and enjoys the world around him.
This is a particularly good fit for Will, who can be hard on himself if he is not living up to his own tough standards. While Will might get frustrated if he was struggling to learn a new piece of music, Mikey was so excited just to hear that he could make a saxophone play notes.
At times, this caused friction because Will felt Mikey didn’t understand the importance of getting it right. That said, often, Mikey could bring Will back to a smile and get him to remember that it actually is pretty cool to be able to make music. Instruments are pretty awesome!
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all give ourselves the grace to be imperfect and enjoy the wonder of learning a new skill without pressure?
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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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