We have time... don't panic!

This is my first attempt at a blog post.  It is somewhat ironic that my first inspiration using this ultra high speed technology of blogging is to write about slowing down...  Never the less, I am inspired to write this in part because Carl Honoré is in town this week presenting at the teachers conference on his book: "In Praise of Slow".  His books are a reminder to all of us to embrace our inner tortoise.

Last night I had another conversation with a family who is feeling the rush and the pressure to hurry up and get an early intervention for her child. This is the message that we sent to families with all of the studies that say early intervention is best, and all the professional saying to get kids into services right away. This research and the information about early intervention is well-meaning, however it can create a sense of panic and a sense of rush in families. We know from Carl's books that pressure and speed can be damaging. We also know from Carl's second book that slow parenting can have immense benefits. So why do we keep sending that message to families to "hurry up"!?  

The feeling for families that we are 'running out of time' can be overwhelming and anxiety provoking.  We need to acknowledge that children will learn at their own pace, that the support from families means more than the age of the child, and that all of us are LIFELONG LEARNERS.  There is no window that slams shut when children turn 6 years old.

So here we are with this dilemma. We need to start sharing the message to families that this is a marathon not a race, their engagement generally in intervention is a bigger predictor than the age of the child, and it is important to slow down… And yet if they continue to get that message early intervention is best hurry up, hurry up.… Where does that leave us? 

In the words of Temple Grandin, individuals with autism are "different… not less".  That old idea that it's about "fixing" something that is broken has done more damage than good. So let's embrace our inner tortoise in our approach to early intervention.  We have time.... don't panic.  Let's be slow in our approach, so we are not rushing and pushing and hurrying… there are merits in slowing down.