Investing in Your Child’s Gifts | Episode 33
Episode 33: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman
Investing in Your Child’s Gifts
These archival conversations were recorded while I was writing Raising Superman.
As Ricky II approached the end of high school and prepared for the transition to college and young adulthood, the interview process gave us an opportunity to have candid conversations about his experiences growing up on the autism spectrum and my experiences parenting a child on the autism spectrum.
I use the Village Engagement Matrix™ to situate these experiences within Ricky II’s developmental stages and my corresponding phases of parenting.
In the Village Engagement Matrix™, the Explorer Phase of Parenting occurs when a child is 2–4 years old.
During my Explorer Phase, I studied Ricky II, identified his interests, and created opportunities for him to explore those interests.
As I explain in this conversation, “I was his genie in a bottle.”
In the Village Engagement Matrix™, the Explorer Phase of parenting occurs when a child is 2–4 years old.
During my Explorer Phase, I studied Ricky II, identified his interests, and created opportunities for him to explore those interests.
Some interests came and went.
Others revealed natural gifts.
Years later, when Ricky II entered the Sapling Stage (3rd–7th grade), I entered Architect Phase II of parenting where I focused on developing potential marketable skills.
By then, I had spent years studying my child.
I could clearly see his natural gifts.
And that’s where I invested.
As I explain in this archival conversation:
“I couldn’t identify his gifts. I could identify his interests.”
His interests gave me something to study.
Time allowed his gifts to reveal themselves.
And once I could see those gifts, I invested in developing them because I believed the areas where he was naturally gifted were the areas where he could be greatest.
I firmly believed:
The world will make room for your gifts.
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