Purpose

Puzzles & Camo – Broden’s enthusiastic friend ran in with Broden and started to help him. His mom peeked into the classroom and smiled.

As another school year begins with a new teacher and larger classroom, I could feel a small pit in my stomach. Broden is eight years old, but looks more like a six year old. The class spans from 2nd to 5th grade, ranging from children who have limited language, such as my son, to children that are higher functioning on the spectrum. Last year there were only nine students.
This year there are 15 or 16 students. After walking into Broden’s class on the first day of school, I turned to my husband, Mark, and said, “I have no idea how this is going to work. Broden is going to feel so overwhelmed and he will get lost in the fray.” My husband, who is
more calm than I, turned and said, “Everything will be fine. He’s in a good place.” He put his arm on my back and gently scooted me out the door after we kissed Broden goodbye.

The first few days of school were awful. I’ll be honest. Broden was not going to follow the schedule without a fight. He certainly was not going to sit on the carpet without laying down, and the idea of him going outside to do projects that did not follow playing was unacceptable.
Sharon, his ABA tutor, could see that I was starting to worry. She kept assuring me that we needed to hang in there. Broden needed to learn that no matter how much he resisted the schedule, he was going to learn how to be in a class with other kids and follow directions.

The next week things started to turn around. Sharon sent me a video of two older students who were higher functioning, working with Broden at the table. The two older boys were engaging and Broden was listening to them as they asked him to read the words off his blocks. After
Broden had finished the tasks, they clapped for him. Broden looked over at them and smiled.

Could it be true? Broden was motivated by his peers. The next day, one of the boys came up to Broden and me to introduce himself. He smiled and said, “I’m here to work with Broden.” He took Broden’s hand and led him away to play with blocks on the carpet. I followed them over
and said, “Thank you so much for working with Broden. I am so proud of you and Broden may not tell you, but he likes you so much.” He looked up at me and smiled from ear to ear.

After talking with their teacher and Broden’s ABA tutor about the three’s relationship, the dynamics between the two boys and Broden continued to grow. They began to guide him through classwork and encourage him to play games on the playground as opposed
to wandering around aimlessly as he had done for years. Once he walked into the class, more children started to greet Broden with hugs and would guide him over to the toys. It seemed like the collaborative effort to helping him was spreading. He wasn’t an outcast. He was actually becoming rewarding to other kids. Broden was seen as having value and worth.

Last week before school, Broden and I were sitting in the car in the parking lot. We were early, so I allowed him to wait in the car as opposed to making him wait in the class. After talking to Mark on the phone, I looked through the review mirror and Broden said, “Ready to go.” Broden was actually ready to go to school. I walked him down the hall and I heard a boy yelling into the class pointing at Broden, “Mom! There he is! There is the boy!” I didn’t know what to say. I was
taken aback by this boy’s excitement upon seeing Broden. I smiled and said hello, then took Broden into the play area. Broden’s enthusiastic friend ran in with Broden and started to help him. His mom peeked into the classroom and smiled. As she walked away, I jogged up to her and said, “Hi, I’m Broden’s mom. Thank you so much for encouraging your son to help mine.” I continued to thank her profusely because if it wasn’t for her son, Broden wouldn’t be making
the progress that he was currently making in class.

She turned to me looking confused. She said, “I don’t think you understand. This is the happiest I have seen my son. He used to cry every day going to school. He hated it. Now, he loves going to school and talks about how he needs to be here to help Broden.” It was comforting to hear that both boys were benefiting from the partnership. As she walked away she said, “Don’t you see?
My son now has purpose.” •

PUZZLES & CAMO
Shelley Huhtanen is an Army wife with two children, one with autism, whose husband is
currently stationed at Fort Hood, TX. She is an autism advocate and currently the parent liaison for the Academy for Exceptional Learners.

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