One year ago we were given great advice. “Give Sawyer a baby doll. It has shown to help children be kind and loving towards others”.
So I went to Target and bought a sweet little doll. I wasn’t sure if he would notice it or even play with it. But I wanted to see if we could help him become more sympathetic towards others.
We were also told it could help bring out his Imaginative Play. So I was fully on board.
This was right before we lost services (therapies) due to the out of pocket expenses and losing our secondary insurance (Medicaid) to help assist.
I gave the doll to Sawyer and waited with anticipation to see what he’d do with the doll. Was he going to notice it, play with it, even understand what it is?
He threw it on the floor and went back to what he was doing.
I looked at Sawyer and picked the baby up. I told him what it was, how to love it, what it needed, and that we loved babies and don’t hurt them.
Yes, it was a doll. But it symbolizes a real person. And that it something Sawyer didn’t really ever notice. People, kids his age around him. He was always in his own world.
I kept at it everyday. I never pushed him to pick it up or to even touch it. I just would hold the baby and talk about it with him.
I would act out taking care of the babies.
What needs did it have?
Sawyer wouldn’t always pay me attention. But occasionally he would watch for a few seconds.
Over time those few seconds grew to a few minutes.
Then he started to touch the baby and mimic the baby crying.
Soon after he’d start to pick the baby up and act out like I did so many times before.
I also let him watch “Call the Midwife” and showed him real babies. He became very interested. He would ask daily to watch “babies”!
How exciting! He loved babies. He worried for the babies. He cried and crawled in my lap when the baby would get sick, go missing, or the worst was when they sadly died. He was expressing emotions!! He understood sympathy!
This past Christmas we decided to buy him another baby. But this time we’d buy one that makes noises.
He loves his babies!
Not only did this help him with sympathy towards others, it opened the world of imagination to him.
He now has a wild imagination and has made a 180 from where he was 1 year ago.
We are so thankful for every progressive step Sawyer has made this last year.
We can’t wait to see what this year has in store for us. We know he is just beginning with his progress.
He’s one amazing little man! 🥰
*Keep an eye out for the video. I’ll post it separately.*
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