Wheels

For some time now Lilia has been very effectively communicating her desire for a wheelchair. I understand her wanting to be independent and mobile, but I also understand her inclination to be lazy. I worry that if she has a wheelchair, she will completely give up on physical therapy. If she put as much energy into trying to walk as she did in resisting her therapist, I believe she'd make some progress! Nevertheless, after talking it over with her father and various teachers and therapists, I've decided to order a wheelchair for her. Today, during her PT session, Lilia mostly played house by herself while I perused catalogs with her therapist. In one catalog, a kid in a wheelchair was playing field hockey in a living room with other kids. In another picture, a couple of kids were piled onto the wheelchair. Wheelchairs are fun! Wheelchairs are strong! And cute - there was one upholstered in a pink panda print.

Lilia is already pretty good at getting around in a wheelchair. She can turn and brake, even though no one has ever taught her how to use one. After PT, I was chatting with her therapist. Lilia took off down the hall in one of the center's wheelchairs. She disappeared around the corner and when I went to see what she was up to, I found the chair parked next to a sofa. Lilia was sitting there looking at picture books. She managed to change positions with no help at all.