My job

It has been approximately 2 months since my life as a university student came to an end. I am still trying to come in terms with the transition from being a young adult to learning to take the responsibility as an adult. 

I've had a new job since February and I hardly talk about my job with anyone else except for a very handful of people. It's not that I don't like what I'm doing, but I really do like what I am doing. I am still learning and trying to be great at my job. So what's my current job you may be wondering? I am a trainee ABA therapist by profession. Right now I am working under supervision since I am quite new to the therapy and albeit I've learned the therapy in theory, but the practical side of the therapy is rather new to me. From there, you'll know that I am working with autistic children. And I want to be good for the children cause they deserve someone great to guide them in their unpredictable world.

Before this, I was a teacher aide at a special needs centre and I learned the basic of managing special needs children behaviour from that centre. I had a great supervisor whom I looked up to and I must say I am really grateful to have her as my internship supervisor, for she taught me a lot about being a special needs educator. I've always had an interest when comes to children's pathology but I am not sure if it's the idea of working with them or I really do like working with the children. The internship gave me a rough idea on how is it like working with special needs children and then I decided to go ahead learning more about them. 

So far, I know that besides having an abundance of patience when comes to working with special needs children, is that they really need to genuinely like working with them. It pains me to see the look of disgust at some inconsiderate people's face when they come face to face with such unique children and yet they still want to work with these children when they cannot even stay in the same room with them and froze at the sight of them. My students are really smart, adorable, and really talented in their very own ways. I am not being bias but I know children that comes with special characteristics have their own gift and all of them are really adorable.

I've learned in theory that autistic children have their qualms when comes to social interaction but what I do notice is that my students did try to connect to the people around them but they just don't know how to. I can see that although some may not understand certain social norms and couldn't read emotions but I know in their very own way, they do somewhat can decipher emotions but just don't know how to react to it. Time out will not work for very young autistic children but then again, I think time out will not work for really young children either whether they have special characteristics or not. 

One of the few things that makes me happy is when I see that my students learn. Something so simple for other children may be difficult for my students but boy, they do learn fast. Even before this at the centre, I know my students are fast learners in their very own ways and although they sometimes make your blood boil by being so very cheeky but at the end of the day, they always managed to put a smile on your face with their very own antiques. 

Like any other working adults or young adults, working life is indeed exhausting. I've worked before part time back in my high school days during the school holidays and later in my pre-u days and when I was a university student and it has been the same experience for me. During the weekends like today, I am really grateful to have some me-time and to be able to spend time with my favourite people before I go back to thinking about work fully recharged.

The children are unpredictable. So we have to be prepared for anything which includes, tantrum, hyperactivity, and many more. 

So these are my thoughts. I have a lot more running in my mind but I don't have the motivation to do so now *smiles sheepishly*. So yeah, happy weekends and have a pleasant week ahead!

"Autism is an unpredictable, one-step-forward-two-steps back condition. There are no certain outcomes, and no two autists are the same" (Moore, 2004).