The Best Thing
This moment meant so much to me, I wrote about it as one of my Thursday Thoughts back in 2024 when the memory popped up on my personal Facebook page. Here’s the link to that original post, which focuses on how Will was a huge help in showing Mikey things typical kids do.
Will described teaching Mikey to play Fruit Ninja as “the best thing I did all weekend.” What a great kid!
If you don’t have a typical older sibling to keep you in the loop on the newest trends, consider asking a cousin, a neighbor or even your child’s teacher.
The Core Idea
Fruit Ninja worked because other kids Mikey’s age were playing it, but it didn’t take any complex reasoning or language skills for Mikey to participate. He could be a part of the group in one small way. Look for those little openings because one app, one interaction or one shared experience can make your child feel included.
Share This Post
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* 
Let's Connect
Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates