There are some major milestones that kids experience in their development that every parent waits for. Their first steps, first words, and first tooth are all exciting moments. For a parent of a child with autism though, the smaller moments can be major milestones too.
Mother of an autistic child, Ashley James experienced one of those moments when her seven-year-old son sent an exciting text message to her husband. The reason behind the text message will make any parent appreciate the little moments.
Grayson Surprised His Dad With A Major Milestone
Ashley took to Twitter to share a sweet screenshot of a text message conversation between her son Grayson and her husband Garrett. Grayson used Ashley's phone to send this adorable mirror selfie and let his dad know that he "got dressed all by my self."
Garrett sent back a kind reply telling Grayson he "did a great job" and Grayson seemed to appreciate the praise. While the text at first seemed like a silly moment between a child and his father turned out to be so much more.
Grayson Has Both Autism And ADHD
After people online began responding to the sweet post, Ashley chose to elaborate more about her son. It turns out Grayson is seven years old and has been diagnosed with both autism and ADHD. He just finished first grade, loves helping out others at school, and his favorite hobby is coloring.
Parents of a child on the autism spectrum know that things tend to always be a little more difficult, but the reward pays off. In this instance with Grayson, getting dressed by himself was a major milestone.
He Had Recently Learned How To Use Buttons And Zippers
The text message was such a big deal for Garrett and Ashley because Grayson had just recently learned how to use buttons and zippers. While many parents might not consider doing up a button a big deal, Grayson had been working on the skill tirelessly with an occupational therapist.
That's why he was so proud when he could get dressed by himself in pants with a zipper and a button down shirt. That is also why Garrett immediately praised Grayson and didn't shrug off his big moment.
The Internet Loved How Proud He Was
Ashley's followers immediately fell in love with Grayson and his major milestone. People around the world told Ashley how proud they were of Grayson and how impressed they were of their parenting praise. Garrett even joked that their son was so loved by the internet that he should change his name to "Grayson's Dad."
Ashley posted a video of her telling Grayson that "everyone on Twitter loves you" and he was over the moon, even though he "doesn't know what Twitter is yet."
Grayson Proved How Important Occupational Therapists Are
The post also prompted many occupational therapists (OT) and those who underwent occupational therapy themselves to speak up about the process. One woman, Alanna Maxwell, told Ashley she was studying to be an OT in school and seeing kids like Grayson inspires her studies.
Many other OTs piped in the explain just how big of a deal zippers and buttons are for a child of his age. It is heartwarming to see the OT community and the public supporting those with autism. You go, Grayson!
