Actions Speak Louder...

We all recognize the saying actions speak louder than words.  It is generally referring to how people can tell what we really feel or think by how we act.  The assumption is that we are capable of using words to say what we want people to think of us, but that our actions will reveal our heart.  That we can articulate one thing but that we need to back up what we are saying with proper actions.  Like we can say all people are worthy of respect and then treat someone poorly because they different somehow. I think that there is an additional point to that saying as it comes to Ayden Jane

For Ayden Jane the actions come easy and are definitely loud.  Joy bubbles forth with jumping up and down, tantrums come flying out, anxiety alters the tone of her words, bone crushing hugs show thankfulness, tears roll down with the hint of sadness.  Putting her thoughts and feelings into words when those emotions are high is the challenging part.  For her, the actions come out easily but it is the words we need to make 'catch up' in their expression.  We have been working hard with her to get her to put words to what she is feeling.  It is hard.  Hard for her to do and hard for us to remember to do!

The biggest one is when she is upset we are working on getting her to say what she/we can do to fix the upset.  Sometimes it is as simple as she dropped something and acts as if it has been lost into an abyss never to be seen again.  We are trying to teach her that most things can be 'fixed' if she will simply control the emotion enough to think and use her words.  I am happy to say it is working... a little.  She is starting to problem solve instead of wallow as if tragedy has struck.  Sometimes she will ask for help, sometimes she will talk herself through what she needs to do.

It is a work in progress, but there is progress and for that I am thankful.