For the last several years we’ve held an annual parent meeting for the families receiving therapy at ASELSI. The purposes of the meeting are to provide encouragement, to educate the families in areas where they may need help in caring for their child, and to remind them of the way our program operates. For several years I, and more recently Shesita, came up with a plan for these meetings. 

However, we realized our rehabilitation promoters, who work with the patients every day, have a much better understanding of the needs and what would be important to cover in this annual meeting. Shesita started involving them more in the planning process. Last year it was their idea to make the video below to remind them of some of the policies and procedures such as washing your hands before a snack, not sleeping on the mats, cleaning your cup after the snacks, one family member in a treatment session, the choice to give an offering, and more. It was a huge success.

This month we held the 2019 parent meeting, planned entirely by our local rehabilitation promoters. They decided the best way to present their teaching on respect, love, and obedience was not just through talking, but also acting things out with a skit. I wish you could have seen them dramatize parents yelling at their kids to do things, throwing banana peels and other trash on the floor, and much more. They did an incredible job and I think it helped keep everyone engaged and grasp the importance of what the team shared. Seeing is believing. 

I am proud of our rehabilitation promoters and how they continue to grow. I love hearing their ideas, learning from them, and seeing how they come alive when given the opportunity. They now are full of confidence and willingly share ideas and are a key part of our curriculum development. We’re testing many ideas with them first.