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Aizer at 0-1 yr old
“If my intention is to help, then there is no need to choose”
I always feel like I have much love to spare and looked forward to being an adoptive parent since young, to which I finally realised my dream at 38 years old. The adoption process may be long and tiresome, but everything was worth it when I saw him for the very first time as he arrived at the gate of my house. Its was a very magical moment I couldn't forget. I didn't expect to see such big sparkling eyes (smiling at me). I named you Ai-zer, where 'Ai' is Love in Mandarin, and the name means 'River of Love'. My life changed, for I am now a parent, and you have became a very special part of it.
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Aizer at 1-2 yrs old
“He appears to be intelligent for his age, but..”
The plan was to be a full time stay-at-home parent for the inital 3 years. I was into my second year but still enjoying every moment doing the cooking, feeding, bathing and changing of diapers. He became more active and started walking at about 13 months, and baby sitting him became more intense. There was this fascination with letters, he kept reciting them, and could spell ELEPHANT! However that love for the alphabets turned into a obsession, and I was observing there was no typical imaginative play, him being non verbal coupled with underlying anxiety. Well, maybe he needs more time
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Aizer at 2-3 yrs old
“I believe your child is unique", cautioned the principle
Of course I am aware of Aizer's developement even before I received the concern note from his kindergarten, but that call was still but disheartening. I was hoping that the start of a preschool and meeting up with regular group of friends would improve his insecurity/ interactivity with others. But it continued to be a challenging year for me to deal with his lack of speech and social skills, resistance to any form of change, weak motor skills, sensory overload, narrow eating habits with chronicle constipation, underlying anxiety with frequent melt downs. Was but overwhelming for a single parent..
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Aizer at 3-4 yrs old
“Happiness is to share a smile with our loved ones”
AMany a times I am feeling challenged on how to expand his strict restrictive routine, where he only fancy reading words from books repeatedly - he have absolutely no interest for playgrounds, theme parks, animals, dislike movies, characters, have a a detest for swimming at pools and waterparks and refused to ride a bic or try new food. Whenever I try to coach him into doing something new, things which are popular with other kids, I have the feeling that I am pushing him out of his comfort zone to do things he didn't enjoy; and that can be exhausting and frustrating for me too. So today, without knowing where to go, I decided that we will be doing only what he really enjoys, and that is taking a bus ride on the front seat of a double Decker bus to no where. It may be one long tedious ride but I am sure to see him smile at the end. Well happiness is probably about spending time with your loved ones doing what they like to do, and to smile togetherp
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Aizer at 4-5 yrs old
“To aim to wake up everyday with a clean sheet of paper”
Aizer's situation improved significatly after he turned 3.5 years old. Although he still lacks the understanding of the function and context of communication, but he started putting up simple requests after learning them through heavy repetitions. I decided to quit my new job so that I can better focus and get more involved on the various strategies to improve Aizer's speech, fine motor and social skills. There is also a plan to us to go traveling, all in search for new and stimulating environment that is great for special needs kids, hoping to get chance to do more free-play & encouraging his creativeity to blossom, and possibly to meet & do more interaction with different kind of people. We are still a bit lost but we will work towards waking up each day ready to write a brand new adventure. And I promise you my son that I will be closely by your side to give you the exposure and confident you need during these fundertmental years of growing up
Follow us on our adventures to travel around the world before Aizer turns 18 years old
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Hyperlexia parents community
“Let's show support for each other”
Probably only the parents of hyperlexic or autism spectrum kids will understand the predicament of having to always deal with their kid's incessant sensory sensitivity issues, which make the kids too sensitive to light touch or background sounds or a subtle different taste. The parents also have to work on their delayed speech issues, excessive narrow eating habits (where meal times are always a fight) and swallowing of nonfood items like dirt or toy parts (this is called pica); AND compromise on their stubbornness and underlying anxiety, inflexibility and resistant to accept change, chronicle constipation and to live with frequent melt downs which could happen anywhere any time. Its always very challenging.
If you have a child how is hyperlexic, how about joining me to form a support group here in Singapore
Please email me at adifferentdad@gmail.com