It is easy to focus on checklists and milestones and feel like no progress is being made. However, for a child who learns differently, progress rarely arrives in large, obvious leaps; instead, it happens through small wins.
Small wins include things like making a first clear request, experiencing a calmer morning, or being able to focus on a task for just a few minutes longer.
These are not consolation prizes, but real, meaningful progress.
When a child uses a picture to ask for water, they have accomplished something genuinely difficult that is worth recognizing out loud.
To help you stay encouraged:
Consider keeping a quiet record of these moments, even if it is just one line a day.
During difficult weeks, this record serves as proof that you are making progress, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Celebrate these small wins, as they are how children grow and how the people supporting them find the strength to keep going.
