Barclay was three-years-old, and nonverbal, when he was first diagnosed with autism. He didn’t know how to play with toys appropriately. He’d line them up and if the rows didn’t perfectly align, he’d meltdown. He wouldn’t watch or engage in age-appropriate movies or television shows.
But one day, I noticed something peculiar. I had on a BabyFirst TV show called The Color Crew. On his own, Barclay found a box of crayons. He didn’t line them up. Instead, he used the real crayons almost like actors in the show. He copied what was happening on screen. He engaged with the entire episode because he had something tangible to keep his interest.
I jumped into action and searched online for YouTube clips I could screenshot the show’s images. I laminated them and put them in order in a binder so he could follow along. It worked! Barclay would color (a non-preferred activity) along with the show. This helped build his lagging fine motor skills and helped him maintain focus for a longer period of time in any one activity than he ever had. For him, this was HUGE!
Equipped with a plan of action in what I believed would help his speech, creative play, and attention span, I made what I called Interactive Bins for every show or movie he showed interest in.
It wasn’t always toys. Sometimes I’d print off characters and laminate them. But the work was worth the gain. He began speaking! At first it was scripted lines from his shows. And that was okay!
Eventually he moved to talking about his favorite TV shows and movies. Totally also okay.
At first characters only existed in their story ecosystem. Then they’d intermingle. Woody would hang out with McQueen. Creativity was born!
We spent a few years singing along with Johnny to Elton John’s I’m Still Standing to the movie soundtrack for Sing. Many other movies and props were utilized on the daily.
And I’ll forever teary-eyed look back on those moments.
But this Big Boy has moved on.
Today, he’s finally valuing experiences with OTHER PEOPLE over slipping into his own character-inspired world. And not that there isn’t a time for that, but in the past it was where he spent the majority of his time.
Now, he’s enjoying fishing, making gifts for his friends, co-captaining our boat, travel, cooking, eating at (some) restaurants, playing video games, reading, and more. He’s growing and its showing.
So Barclay is willingly letting go of his toys to younger friends, and embracing what it’s like to be a big boy. And not that a few of the favs won’t linger a little longer, mostly because Mama is finding this a little tough.
I’m ready and not ready for my baby to be a big boy. And that’s also totally okay!
I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.
Robert Munsch
Big Abilities 
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