Surprise!

My son Johnathan and his Dad play most evenings and I enjoy watching and chatting to them about what they are doing and the things I understand about their video games (um, that’s not much).

Anyway, I know he ALSO plays with his Dad where he spreads out the toys that he has selected to make up a game.  Kevin has to then get through some fights to reach the “boss” to complete that level and move on.

So he decided he wanted to do one of his games on the floor tonight and as he was playing the music I didn’t recognise it and Kevin said that Johnathan had been creating it for their games!  Wow!  My son can do that!

Now, I don’t know about you, but it’s wonderful when they display a talent that you (kind of) knew was within the autistic person.  When they REALLY use that ability, it changes everything.

Fact is, Johnathan has never learned an instrument, but he creates his music on the ipad using Garage Band.  He has now figured out how to incorporate layers into his music within it.

I look at him and wonder where he will end up and what he will do.  He is gifted in so many different directions and I don’t know if he should extend his reach any further.  All of his current skills are in creative arts, except for his expertise on computers and his ventures into the land of computer coding.  I don’t think you could call coding a creative art…or maybe there is a case to be made for it?

I believe that parents/carers/guardians or whoever looks after a child/children need to keep this in mind when they look after them.  They may have lots of skills and you don’t know what to focus on to help them, but just  encourage them to develop whatever they feel is the most important thing.  

Remember it’s THEIR choice what the most important thing is for them to move into when they reach the adult world.  When I look at women choosing wedding dresses, sometimes I think they would do better without their mother who wants them to wear something whether they like it or not!  They need to remember the GIRL is the bride and they have become MOTHER of the bride!