To me Cornerstone started as a new and exciting career opportunity but has literally turned into my second family. I feel very lucky, because when James was diagnosed with Autism I had the best support system possible. I’m sure for many parents getting that diagnosis is terrifying, because it’s not like a diagnosis with an illness where the doctor just prescribes you some medicine once they figure out what the issue is. For me though, getting the diagnosis didn’t really matter, since I work at Cornerstone it wasn’t a surprise that my hunch was correct & James is indeed on the spectrum, and I knew exactly what I wanted for him, which was to start going to Cornerstone. Putting the Autism label on James didn’t change the person he was to me, he could grow 5 more ears and he would still be the same little boy that I love unconditionally, but I did know there was so much more inside of him that needed to be brought out. That is the beautiful thing about Cornerstone, the amazing therapists are able to see this light inside each child and find ways to pull that light out for the world to see.
It is difficult to put into words but before James started at Cornerstone he was just very much in his own little world. He has only been there for 4 months now and we have seen a drastic change. He is just so much more aware of the world and people around him. He interacts with other kids his age, which he never did before, he is able to listen and follow directions much better, and he’s potty trained! I didn’t think the potty training thing would ever happen but thanks to his therapists and team lead he caught on super quick and is consistently using the potty! He is also talking so much more & is able to tell us what he wants and needs, which helps relieve his and our frustration!
I have learned so much from working at Cornerstone but the greatest lessons have come from the kids, both the ones I work with and my own son. I think the best thing the kids have taught me is that sometimes it’s best to not try and figure out why a child is doing something that seems weird but to just go with it, it usually makes life a lot more interesting.
July 17, 2014, Morgan McClellan