Working towards stability

Here is the thing when you live with three special needs children, life is never perfect. Yet, sometimes it does get way too out of control. That is where we were. I am happy to announce that we are taking small steps back to a better place.

The biggest step that has been taken has been taekwondo. Yes, I have been singing it's praises lately, but I would not have enrolled my family if I did not expect big benefits. They were benefits that we had witnessed last time we took it.

Since we have started classes J has not physically attacked anyone in our house. This is something that most people would not even think of having to say, but for us it is a huge accomplishment. The fact that it happened so fast was amazing. When I first signed us up for taekwondo J was so defiant he would not even leave the car to go inside. Now we are working out together at the park, challenging each other to jumping jack competitions. He is back to doing his chores, some days, and when he has a fit he mostly goes in his room - big changes. What has amazed me is that I have actually seen improvements in his theory of mind. It is a huge step for him to think about other people in his class, or how other people walk, so he can improve himself. He is even starting to keep pace with class - before he would just do the jumping jacks on his own. We have started even making small improvements in impulse control. He went one whole day without taking anything.  I have been trying for two weeks for even a small improvement.

S has probably made the least improvements due to taekwondo. That being said she really likes it, it helps her physically, and she has not had one incident during class. That in and of itself is really good.

What is surprising to me is L. I knew L would like taekwondo. I did not realize she would be as good at it as she is. I also did not expect it to start pulling her out of her shell more and more. Even with school approaching she focused at night and participated with the family in practicing. She was showing her sister how to do moves in a great leadership kind of way. She stays focused for most of the class. She wants to go, even when she is tired and overwhelmed.

Last night we received our yellow belts. It is one small step, but it moves us out of the white belt class into the real dojo. My kids are very proud of themselves, and they all should be. They did amazing. We are not back to the best of times. Last weekend J still trashed my house, it was right before class. We went, he calmed down, I was so physically exhausted from keeping him away from the girls I did not quite make it all the way through class. So, no perfection here - but that does not matter. What matters is seeing it start to get better once again.