Having children with Down Syndrome has created a whole new vocabulary for me. Words like IFSP, Transitions, Goals, IEP's, Interventions, Therapies, Developmental Delays, Non-verbal, Sign Language, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, GERD, Asthma, Tracheaomalasia, Subglottic Stenosis, Thickened Liquids due to Aspiration, Cookie Swallows, Stimulation... oh I could get carried away and just keep on typing words that pop into my head that have been new words for us over the past four years.
I want to focus today on Goals. Now four years into this whole parenting a child with a disability I am just now realizing how important it is to set goals. I know the service providers have been doing this since the boys were infants, but I think I am just getting the importance of it all. Without goals we wouldn't have something to word towards. We would just get lost in the shuffle of everyday life and may or may not learn a new ability. I know, I know this took longer for me to grasp than most.
It was something that is happening in my life right now that made me realize the importance of setting goals and ultimately made me appreciate even more what my boys have gotten up until this point and how much more I will stress goals in the future with them. My UH HUH moment was when I set a weight loss goal for myself this month. What I had to do to reach that goal was not just do the same ole same ole everyday, I had to change things, tweek this and tweek that, go beyond what I would normally do each day with meals and fitness.
I set the goal to lose 10 lbs this month. I have been recording my calories, I started walking 2.5 miles a day and when that no longer seemed a challenge for me I began a Couch to 5K program and I am actually JOGGING now. I have never jogged in my life for fun that is :) I stayed focused, I kept my goal in front of me and I accepted the challenge to change. It has paid off and I lost 12 pounds this month. I am so excited and ready to dive into the next month and see where that brings me.
I think that the goals I have set for my boys have been good to this point, but I think they're ready for more. I think we need to challenge them more and help them become even more independent than they've already become. I look forward to setting more goals for my life and for my children's lives. I think I may even take this to a new level, setting goals for my marriage, for my Christian walk, for my house keeping... WOW!! I better get a big piece of paper and lots of gold stars to stick up when I reach a goal.
Who woulda thunk it!
No comments:
Post a Comment