The Importance of Getting Out

 One result of 2 years of COVID-19 restrictions is the regression of James' ability to tolerate outings. Not sure if it's his age, autism, or 2 years of homebody habit ... it's harder to pry him out of his room and engage in an activity.

While noise (dogs, babies, noisy kids, rap music, and power tools in general), crowds, and heat make outings uncomfortable for James he was able to enjoy Farmers' Markets, trips to the park, beach visits, and trips to the store. It's interesting that now that he is older, he can interact better, have more meaningful conversations, but be less tolerant of stressors. I think part of this is also due to stressors continually experienced over the past 4 years from moves, bad school experiences, and natural disaster evacuations.

I keep trying out options to get James out of the house, practicing transitions, and providing positive reinforcement when he stresses. Slowly I see this getting better. James should not have to live his life hidden away, and I will keep doing what it takes to help him move as confidently as possible in the world.