Tiny victories: Strengths and skills kids in our community are building at home

These days families are coping with huge changes to routines. They’re trying to make the best of distance learning and being stuck at home. All of this can be especially challenging for kids who learn and think differently.

That’s why it’s so important to acknowledge the “tiny victories.” Whether your child is staying focused for longer periods of time or finishing a math problem without giving up, a win is a win — and it deserves a celebration.

We asked families in our Facebook community to share what a win looks like for their child these days. What strengths and skills are they building? Here’s what they said.

Showing resilience and empathy

“My daughter has shown amazing resilience and empathy along with much-needed growth in maturity. She’s dealing with two parents who are essential workers and by the time we get home we’re so exhausted and she’s just trying to do everything she can to make our lives easier, go figure.”

Taking on responsibilities

“My son has taken on more responsibility for his schoolwork knowing that teachers are not there to guide him along every step. It was a bit of a struggle the first two weeks, but he managed it and is now mostly working by himself daily. We only have to set up a schedule for the day of what work he will do, and if he needs help he asks. That’s a win for us.”

“I feel like my son has gotten a bit better about being proactive when it comes to daily tasks around the house. For example, until very recently, if the trash can in our kitchen was full, he would just say, ‘It’s too full!’ But these days, he’s been taking the trash bag out of the can, cinching and tying the drawstring, and then telling us that he’s taking it into the garage. I feel like he’s pulling some of his other skills together (like his observation and problem-solving skills) and putting them into action.”

“My son is getting more proactive as well. He even made himself refrigerator biscuits the other day. And asked for help getting them out of the oven. That last is huge, as he’s never good at asking for help.”

Building coping skills

“I’ve noticed my 5-year-old daughter has gotten a lot better at sharing with her little brother. She’s more interested in helping take care of him, too. I also see her pausing to take a deep breath when she gets upset herself. It’s something we’d been working on that she didn’t do before this crisis. She even reminds me to do it sometimes. It’s inspiring to see her build coping skills and become a source of strength for the family — even though her life has turned upside down!”

What strength or skill is your child building at home? If you're not sure where to start, pick one of these ideas.