It has been one week since we completed the JumpStart Program, and I am so excited to share our experience. This week has been a little crazy as we settled back into our “normal” routine. Having 12 units of school and being gone all of last week proved to be a little stressful…but I think I’m caught up now!
We received so much valuable information through the JumpStart Program, and so many tools for our whole family. I have spent a lot of time putting it all together and figuring out how we can use our experience to help Kaden be the best little person he can be.
One of the most important things I have learned on this journey is that there is a ton of accessible information out there. We have spent the last 6 months researching, paying close attention to Kaden’s therapist’s, talking to people, and listening to a variety of professionals. It has been frustrating at times, as there are so many different “camps” in this world. Most of the professionals in the Autism community have a very specific background and belief. They think that their way is the only way.
I have realized that as parents it is our job to take all of the information, filter through it, and hold onto what we see relevant to our situation. Then, we put it together in a way that will be most beneficial to Kaden. As I mentioned before, there is no manual or “road map” because every case of Autism looks so different on every kid.
I think of it like building the foundation of a house. We spent the last six months gathering the materials we needed to make the best foundation we could, and hoping we had all of the materials necessary to make this foundation as strong as it needs to be. There are times I have wondered if we had all of the correct materials, and I stayed up late at night wondering if we were doing this the right way.
This is where the JumpStart Program was so beneficial for us. The professionals at JumpStart took a close look at the foundation we have been working on over the last 6 months. Then, they gave us finishing touches to make this foundation as strong and solid as it could be. They helped us zone in not only on Kaden’s areas of opportunities, but also on his strengths and how we can start to build on this foundation. We left the program feeling empowered, and confident that we had the most solid foundation possible for Kaden’s future.
There are so many pieces to what is going on with Kaden. He has 5 different people working with him on a weekly basis, from all different areas. While they have all taught us so much, it has been our job to put all of it together. That can feel overwhelming at times. The JumpStart team really helped us to paint the “whole picture.” They didn’t look at our situation from just one aspect, and this was so refreshing!
Now the building begins! This is the most exciting part, watching Kaden flourish the past few months have been so incredibly rewarding! As we begin the process of transitioning Kaden to preschool, we feel so clear about what the next steps look like for him. This kind of clarity is invaluable! There really are no words to express how grateful we are to have been able to attend this program, and how grateful we are for the JumpStart Team.
If you know of a family who has a little one with Autism or PDD-NOS, I would love to share our experience with them. If they are in the Early Start Program, there are ways to get the Regional Center to fund this program and I would be more than happy to share how we did it!
Thank you for reading, and for all of your ongoing support!
