One of the interesting things I'm learning about as I continue to explore the RDI program is the notion of regulation. The idea here is that we are only quite rarely perfectly "on track" or "on course" with what we're doing. Whether it's traveling to a destination, monitoring a conversation we're having with somebody, or trying to get homework done. We're probably only completely "on course" say 2% of the time. Why? Because we wander, we get distracted, or we fail to pick up on a cue soon enough (e.g., that we're boring someone).
The RDI program tries to make two points about this: (1) we have to teach kids with autism that being a little "off course" is OK, is tolerable, is the way things are most of the time, and (2) that success doesn't come from being "on course" 100% of the time, but from continual, moment-by-moment readjustments when we're getting too far off course.
So, for instance, we need to realize when our "joking" with a partner crosses the line and they're getting offended. Or when our fascination discussion of golf minutiae has crossed the line into boring someone to tears. Whatever the specific situation, the point is to realize that things are going off course and to make an adjustment, to get back on course.
I find myself wondering if this isn't a far better way of thinking about relationships, about spirituality.
2 comments:
...or about weight loss, self care, a job search... It really is a very helpful paradigm.
Pax, C.
I like this, and it seems a good antidote to perfectionism. We are going to get a little off-course, so learn to correct it instead of thinking we'll do it perfectly.
I also seems somewhat akin to "mindfulness", being aware of our path, our trajectory.
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