| p>"I'm looking for fun and adventure! I'm looking for | | | | outdoors is hard on the clothes! |
| more!!!" As children develop on a neuro-typical | | | | - Extreme Peek-a-boo You love playing peek-a-boo; |
| pathway, they begin to look for activities to be more | | | | but if I run off and hide while the blanket is over your |
| elaborate and exciting. The same old games become | | | | head, you laugh even harder. The challenge of finding |
| boring - it's time for adventures and more challenges. | | | | me is so fun, and the reward in finding me is priceless. I |
| This becomes especially true as a baby transforms | | | | like this game better, too, because it gives me more |
| from an infant to a toddler. As parents, we naturally | | | | exercise running from you and a bigger reward when |
| begin to add these challenges as our children begin to | | | | you find me - there's always a big laugh and gigantic |
| show readiness. My son continues to enjoy the | | | | hug! |
| exciting new things of life, but one monotonous thing he | | | | - Adding humor You are so funny. You are beginning |
| loves is his grandma! | | | | to do things intentionally to make me laugh. The other |
| - You love your grandma! We took a vacation to | | | | day, you and I were picking up some Easter eggs off |
| Florida, and had a ball! It became extremely evident to | | | | the floor. Initially you were putting them away with me; |
| me that you know what you want! You were | | | | then suddenly you grabbed one, looked at me to make |
| attached to grandma like glue. You'd be playing nicely | | | | sure I was watching, and then crawled away with it. |
| on the living room floor, and if grandma entered the | | | | You then "hid" it under the couch, looked back at me, |
| room you'd scream and go crawling over to her | | | | and laughed. You thought you were so funny. It's |
| (screaming the entire way). Once you were in her | | | | amazing to me how much you understand about |
| arms, there was no putting you down! When we | | | | human interaction already, and how to enhance it. |
| returned home from Florida, you didn't see her for | | | | If a child has fallen off this neuro-typical path of |
| nearly 3 days (eternity to you). When you saw her | | | | development, these activity changes can be |
| again, you did the same screaming approach that you | | | | overwhelming. The dynamic, fast moving, adventurous |
| did earlier - but held on even tighter! When you were | | | | life is then too much, and there is a tendency to |
| sitting in your chair eating, you actually had to have her | | | | become trapped in the monotonous way of doing |
| right there by you. When she waved like she was | | | | things - just to feel safe! This is another reason that I |
| going to leave, you reached out and grabbed her arm | | | | love Relationship Development Intervention |
| and pulled her to you - all while shrieking. Although I'm a | | | | (RDIÒ): nothing new was created, just slowed |
| little jealous, I'm happy to see that you are forming a | | | | down enough so that what happens naturally in |
| special bond with her, and that relationships are | | | | neuro-typically developing children can happen for |
| important to you. | | | | those who missed it the first time. Through a very |
| - There's excitement in moving While crawling is still the | | | | careful approach, challenges are added to every day |
| preferred method of movement, you notice that this | | | | life in a supportive and trusting environment. Because |
| isn't the way the rest of the family gets around. If there | | | | of this, kids who normally fear change, challenges, and |
| is a couch or table to hold on to, you are walking. It | | | | other dynamic attributes can slowly become |
| shouldn't be long before you are walking on your own. I | | | | successful in adapting to our fast changing world. The |
| hope it's sooner than later, simply because crawling | | | | transformations are amazing! |