During the height of the pandemic, our then 25-year-old son moved back home to live with us for what turned out to be 15 months. Several years earlier, he’d moved into his own apartment and was learning to manage his life, friends, disabilities, caregivers, and responsibilities. Unfortunately, Covid-19 messed that up completely.
After being home again with us for just a couple weeks, it became clear that Andrew really missed his independence, friends, and autonomy. He longed for the comfort of a daily routine filled with the things he loves and is passionate about. Like many other parents during the pandemic, we missed seeing our son happy, fulfilled, and growing.
To address these challenges, we encouraged Andrew to pursue his interest in animation. This was something he could do virtually, but not without assistance. So, in addition to all the hand washing, isolating, and constant second-guessing, we spent countless hours helping Andrew bring to life his ideas for an animated film about a young boy with disabilities.
To be completely honest, I didn’t enjoy this at all. I knew it mattered to Andrew, I’m just not very interested in animation. I’m also not very creative, and I had a lot on my plate during that time. Managing through Covid felt hard enough. Being Andrew’s animation co-pilot, project manager, teacher, and cheerleader felt extra heavy. But we persevered.
Andrew powering through during the pandemic.
Eventually, I discovered that working on this project, learning new things, and creating something he could be proud of made Andrew feel really good during a time that was really bad. In the absence of friends, control over his schedule and routine, and even just a sense of what comes next, Andrew’s accomplishment with this project took on monumental significance.
Here’s the first very rough video he created:
Through this experience, I discovered our son’s drive and ability to persevere are even greater than his disabilities. I also learned that I have more patience than I often give myself credit for. Together, we affirmed the importance of pushing ourselves and establishing high expectations for others. Andrew also realized how important it is to reach for your dreams.
Perhaps this is why he shared the video last fall with professional animators at Connecticut Public Broadcasting, where he now works. Over time, they began to collaborate on what Andrew now refers to as a “program extension” that features even more of Andrew’s voice, personality, and life experience. They are currently exploring how it can be used in schools, libraries, and any place children learn about people with disabilities:
Perhaps there’s something your child or the young people you support are passionate about…something they’re more interested in than you are, but that you can learn to love (or at least love helping them with). Perhaps there are fun and interesting ways you can learn to support their dreams and persistence.
Since the teacher in me enjoys learning, too, please let me know about your experiences on this topic. As Oprah reminds us, teachers share what they learn — so thanks for teaching me, too.
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