01/14/2025
Yesterday in the building where my office is, there was a man on a ladder fixing things in the ceiling that I know nothing about. I came out of my room a few minutes later and said, “Hello!” He said the same & proceeded to tell me that he was sorry if I heard him talking to himself! (I did and it was more than a word or two!) I said, it’s ok, I do that sometimes too (but nowhere near that much!!😁). He told me it helps him to remember what he needs to do.
My OT brain immediately jumped up! It’s not needless talk like he thinks he needs a friend, it is how he best organizes and processes information! Just looking at/thinking about something he needs to do wasn’t sufficient for him to complete his task-he needed the auditory feedback to assist with the steps of the plan! I continued to watch and listen and realized that this is a very successful individual.
He has compensated for what isn’t a strength by using what is!
This made me realize how incredibly unique each life is. When it comes to us/our kids, none takes in information the same exact way. All the information may BE the same but how we perceive, manipulate and adapt to it is so different! Sometimes too we want others to learn as we best learn, and that’s often a recipe for disaster!
The longer I work and see different kids, the more I realize that I/we have the privilege of recognizing and bringing out the incredible strengths & abilities inside a child that may be so different than our own.
Taking the time to KNOW how someone perceives the world and how he/she best interacts within it, is never time wasted. I loved the reminder of this.
So to whoever that man was on the ladder…thanks! Keep talking to yourself; keep talking through a complicated skill that so many others would never be able to do! Your brain is doing a really great job!
