I like to try to start each day by having a little conversation over breakfast with Ethan. 💙 I sometimes share how I am feeling & ask him to do the same, but the other day I decided to ask him some questions – share my response & then see what he wanted to share. ✨

First I asked his favourite colour – I asked this verbally & via his AAC using a question button I’ve added. I shared mine was “Yellow” & Ethan shared via his AAC that his was “Blue”. 💙

Secondly I asked his favourite animal, I shared that mine was a “Shark” & Ethan said his was a “Monster” – this made me chuckle as we always run away from Monsters in one of the songs we sing whilst out walking in the Forest. 👿

Lastly, I asked “what’s your favourite shape?” I shared that mine was a “Star” & Ethan shared this were “Pentagon” “Hexagon”, “Octagon”, “Heptagon”, “Nonagon”, “Decagon” – a song he used to love watching on YouTube. What a great memory! 😍

I adore how each & every conversation I learn a little bit more about Ethan & see his amazing personality shine through.

Each conversation heals a little bit of my heart longing for conversations with my son. Our conversations may look or sound a little different – but they are conversations all the same.

“Blue” – “Monster” – “Pentagon, Hexagon, Octagon” – treasured forever, they mean the world. 😭💜

P.S I always notice on days we have moments of AAC connection & conversation like this first thing to start the day, it paves the way for more natural AAC use as a result.

P.P.S All this wouldn’t be possible if we had listened to the AAC myths we sadly heard right at the start of our journey – please support my Speak Up for Autism campaign by signing the petition via the link in my bio. Change in the Speech Therapy world is long overdue.