Recently, Robb started to walk up to his classroom from the bus alone, and at the end of the day, walking back to the bus alone. While these transitions involve many people keeping an eye out for him, they are big step in Robb's independence. They show he understands where he is going everyday, and instead of getting distracted or getting upset without someone guiding him, he walks purposefully to the intended location. While he may always need people looking out for him, this could mean in the future walking to our house from the bus stop without someone waiting there for him, it could mean getting out of the car at Athletes Serving Athletes alone and coming back when it is over, or it could even mean starting a morning routine of brushing teeth and coming up stairs alone. This may not seem like much, but this little step marks visible progress from the times when someone had to meet Robb and make sure he did not get distracted, and they show that there are possibilities for more independence in the next few years! Because communication has been a struggle, decreasing interdependence in some activities shows that Robb does understand the routine and daily tasks.
For as well as I know Robb, so much of him is a mystery to me, and I often wish we lived in a different world where we would communicate through emotion and raw sound. It seems more fluid. But knowing that Robb will be able to gain independence in the world we live in gives me hope that he will get the fulfilling future he deserves by creating his own path without constantly relying on those around him.
