Why we need to slow down?
One of the first things we discuss with families beginning RDI (Relationship Development Intervention) is “ they will need to slow down to speed up.”
We say it so often that it can be easy to lose sight of the inherent wisdom of these words.
As a society, we seem to be moving faster and faster each day, month, year. At the same time the word “mindfulness” is not standing ground anywhere given the speed we are after !!
Our lives our overscheduled, our kids are overscheduled, we are multi-tasking more than ever and eventually things just start to feel like they are spinning out of control!
As a RDI professional, the topic of slowing down is a critical key component in remediating autism and creating quality of life for the whole family.
This combination of a slower pace and the carefully planned activities helps not only the person with autism but increases the confidence of parents as they guide their children.This approach focuses on instilling and carefully building motivation for the person on the spectrum to take on their own learning.
The most Important reason we should slow down is to Restore Balance in our Lives, Personally and as a Family.
Some of the signs we see, when we need to stop and slow down.
- Are we always Rushing every day, every moment ?
- Is there always tension in the house ?
- Does our home feel Chaotic ?
- Are we stuck on things which are not changeable at the moment ?
- Are we not able to get anything done ?
- Are we Physically Exhausted ?
Once you have made up your mind that you need to slow down you can start looking at the following steps :
- Revise/Simplify family calendar and stick to it
- Start small, one day at a time and build up
- Pick up the best time of the day to practice a specific goal
- Think and plan ahead as much as possible
- Model slow down for our children
- Recognize personal obstacles
- Carve out personal, couple and family time.
Rules towards slowing down
- Say “no”
- Put “me” first
- Make time for it consistently
- Put aside things or prioritize
- Delegate
- Let go
- Ask for help and accept help
- Simplify
- Go for “good enough”
Benefits of Slowing Down ?
On a personal level
- Being able to nurture ourselves spiritually, Mentally & emotionally.
- Shifting priorities for self “What is important to me”
- Take control of our life
- Being able to appreciate what we have instead of focusing on what we want
On family level
- Better Quality of Life
- Developing Mindfulness as a Family
- Closer relationships
- Better trust with one another
- Making discoveries in life instead of completing checklists
In order to speed up (development) you need to slow down (to lay the foundations necessary to withstand all the challenges that life brings).
“Remediating autism is a marathon, not a sprint” – this means that families will take the time they need to in order to support their kids with where they are at and caregivers need to prepare for the journey and take care of themselves too!