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macchiatto
member
T-ball
macchiatto
member
OK, so what do you do with a 4y/o who has hypotonia, gross motor delay (about 13m behind, but he's 4.5 y/o on a team with 3-5-year-olds so he doesn't stand out too much), fatigues easily, SPD, anxiety (and some perseverations and rigidity but not-quite-ASD) ... who is having a tough time playing T-ball? They've only had one practice and one game so far, but he's having a hard time with the heat, with focusing (totally wandering around, facing away from the batter, just wanting to sit down, etc., when he's out on the field), with paying attention and sticking with it. I mean, at his age, he doesn't totally stick out. But I'm just not sure if i should let him take breaks when he wants to, push him to stick with it and do whatever the coach is asking, use incentives ... ? Thoughts?
I know he might just need time to get used to it but he kept trying to come over and sit with me at the game today when he was supposed to be out on the field and I wasn't sure how much to push it. I kept making him put his glove back on and go back out there but I don't want it to turn into a battle or for him to start really hating it.
For context, his twin brother and one of their lifelong buddies are on the team as well. Twin is NT, high-energy, and so far LOVES T-ball and is totally into it so we'll definitely still be there for all games and practices either way.
fraternal twin boys born january 2009
This discussion has been closed.
Re: T-ball
That's helpful, thank you!
And yeah, I wrestle a lot with how to balance accommodating and pushing ... and DH and I have a hard time getting on the same page about that. (We agree in theory but how that works out practically speaking ... I tend to push more and he is a rescuer.)
His PT (that he "graduated" from in December ... and we found out from the devel pedi last week that he's made poor progress since then
) had suggested T-ball for him. She said the structure would be a better fit for a kid like him rather than something chaotic like soccer, so I thought we'd give it a try. She also observed that he needs to work on being willing to follow through with taking turns, following the rules of a game instead of just quitting and doing his own thing, etc., and that the group setting of T-ball might help with that. I did ask both boys separately if they wanted to do T-ball and described it and they both said yes, but I know they didn't really understand yet what they were getting into. 
The coaches are still trying to get all the kids straight so I haven't sensed much frustration toward A. in particular yet. That may become an issue though. i.e. A. told me right before his second at-bat on Saturday, "I don't run anymore." (That's his new thing: I don't eat cold things anymore. I don't wear sneakers anymore b/c I don't like to wear socks. I don't want you to kiss anymore because it makes me wet and I don't like that.) And then after he batted, and the coach kept telling him to run to first base, he sauntered. I don't have a good sense yet of how the other parents feel but there are definitely some other kids being uncooperative; no surprise at this age. (Though maybe not as consistently as DS.) His brother hasn't really said anything yet about his behavior but I won't be surprised if that starts. He's started saying things like, "You don't run right" when they're playing, which we're working to address.
Practice and games are each 1 hr/wk the next 7-8 weeks.
I think we'll play it by ear but you've given me good food for thought. The devel pedi last week had suggested starting some form of rewards/sticker chart for when he actually plays with peers at play dates. Maybe I'll add participating in T-ball to that. He is also in My Gym this summer and I'm hoping to sign them up for swim classes; just trying to find lots of fun ways he can work on coordination, strength, peer interactions and group participation ... and help brother get his energy out.