Embracing Emmett: Sheltering in Place

The year 2020 will definitely be a year that no one forgets! People around the world have been affected in many different ways. Every situation is different and while our situation is better than many, it has still taken some time to get used to. With the exception of a few short car rides and walks, the two boys and I haven't left our property since March 18th. I'm very thankful to have a big backyard and plenty of things to keep us busy, but it has definitely been an interesting time. We have taken the shelter in place order very seriously, not only because Emmett could be considered high risk due to his low muscle tone and being prone to upper respiratory infections, but also for others that may be at even higher risk.
For the most part, our third grader, Corbin, seems to be taking the shelter in place order in stride. Aside from being extremely sad when we had to reschedule our trip to Orlando and missing his friends and family, he is pretty content doing his school work in his pajamas and hanging out at home. He has definitely gotten more screen time than I’d like to admit, but he has also done more creative projects, has played more board games, and has spent more time outside. He has also been helping us cook more and has even learned how to cook a few things on his own.
Emmett, on the other hand, is not quite as content. If you know Emmett, you know that he loves his routine and he especially likes going to his ABA “school”. Every morning starts out the same way. After breakfast, I help Emmett get dressed and I normally say, “are you ready to get dressed to go nowhere?” I say this in hopes that he will be okay with staying home. He seems excited at first, because for him, putting on clothes means that we ARE going somewhere. If I don’t get dressed in “real clothes”, he will go into my room, pull clothes out of my dresser, and bring them to me. He does the same thing with coats and shoes. All of these things mean “GO” for Emmett.
I think the fact that his dad is still going into work makes him think that he should be going to school. After all, that is how it has been, since he was 3 years old. I can understand why he would think that, but unfortunately, that is not the case right now.
Once he is dressed, he takes me by the hand and leads me to the front door, where we hang his jacket and backpack. This boy wants to go to school!
I tell him that I understand that he wants to go to school, but it is closed right now because lots of people are getting sick and we have to stay home so that we don’t get sick too. He looks at me with disappointment and fusses with frustration, but he eventually realizes that we really aren’t going anywhere. He does this several times a day, EVERY day! He seems to be getting more used it, but it doesn’t change the fact that he gets frustrated.
In our normal routine, Emmett normally gets one-on-one assistance and therapy for 35 hours a week. They focus on communication, fine and gross motor skills, social interaction, and life skills. He also normally has hippotherapy (therapeutic horseback riding) combined with physical therapy and occupational therapy for two hours every week. This may seem like a lot for a little guy, but these services have truly been a game changer for Emmett and he loves it. They are all providing support via video conferences and emails, but I simply can’t do everything that they do in the same capacity.
Although it isn’t the same, I do my best to integrate things to help him improve his skills throughout the day. I have also been able to give him more ABM© lessons, which is definitely a good thing. During this change in our routine, he has made great progress in a several areas. While being home, Emmett has mastered opening doors with doorknobs and standing up from sitting on the floor without crawling to furniture or to one of us for help. He is also showing more interest in some of his toys and books and is following simple requests more consistently. He has even figured out how to open the refrigerator. (which may be getting a lock very soon!)
Although this may not be an ideal situation, it has actually been really good for all of us. We may not be physically seeing our family and friends, but video chats have helped us stay connected. We have also talked and texted with them more in the last several weeks than we normally do, so in some ways we are more connected than we have been in a long time. Emmett is extremely social, so being able to see the people that he loves definitely helps. Anytime he sees his family, friends, or therapists on a video call, his face lights up and he giggles. It may not be the same as seeing them in person, but it does make it a little easier being able to see their faces.
Don’t get me wrong, it will be nice to see people face to face and to get back to our “usual routine”, but I’m also thankful for this time that we have had to slow down. Although both boys are still early risers, we don’t have to rush to get ready to go anywhere! We can do school work outside, take recess whenever we want to, and have church in our pajamas. We may get a little stir crazy, but it has also been a time to make memories and really appreciate what we have. I hope that you have been able to find the blessings in all of this as well.

Here are a few photos from the past several weeks.