Here's where the hard work starts

This morning was a challenge. I had my second therapy session on my own with Aaron, and I worked every minute of it. I needed the next hour to wind down The hardest bit was that I didn't feel like he was enjoying the session enough for it to be motivating. I don't want to give in at all to him, because he needs consistency or we are right back where we started. I want him to not hate therapy though. He has to see motivation to put all this hard work in. I did get some good giggles out of him when I was tickling him. I got some good eye contact for blowing bubbles too. I can tell him "nice hands" with my hands out in front, and he will put his hands in mine for a swing up to the bed. I think that is good compliance and good interaction, but I'm not sure if I should be pushing for eye contact every time as well as that. I need to see how well he sorts shapes and help him improve. For that to be at all fun I think I should not push the eye contact, as he sees that as a real power struggle. For animals, staring is a dominance issue. If I stared at my cat she would look away too. I think this is relevant to Aaron in particular because he looks straight into your eyes if he is going to pinch or hit you. He thinks eye stare is dominant, so maybe he feels the discomfort like a cat, and I am forcing him. I understand he needs to learn to read a persons eyes, but you can see how this has to be really rewarding for him to override the instinct to look away. I like to be able to come home and read about things relating to the therapy, and theorise how all the different theories fit in. I am reading Temple Grandins book on How to make your pets happy. She looks at behaviour but adds an emotional element. As in, all behaviours are driven by an emotion, satisfy the emotion and you can control the behaviour. This is slightly different to the true idea behind ABA therapy which is purely behaviorist. I still find the idea, of stimulating certain areas of the brain to get certain responses or emotions, fascinating. So much of what I had thought of as my personality I now put down to chemical balance, DNA, and electrical impulses.
Anyway, back to the salon tomorrow. Two staff members just resigned, the manager was fired two weeks ago, and one more staff member is soon to take maternity leave. I feel both anxious and excited to be probably leaving before Christmas. I need a break to get settled into the house with D, and will most likely appreciate the chance to absorb the new work. I think it will be less draining as I become more sure of the effect I am having. Off to read again though before Lie to Me on tv tonight.
(Geez, I say I a lot!)