Finding Ways to Connect – “Jump, Roro, Gong Gong Will Catch You”
Children with special needs often face physical limitations in their early years. For many, their world feels still, and they spend much of their time sitting or standing without moving around much. Typically developing children naturally know how to run, chase, and play. But not Roro. She was often quiet, almost invisible at times. We were puzzled about how to motivate her, unsure of how to help her engage with the world around her.
Finding Ways to Connect
Her grandparents decided to take matters into their own hands, planning outdoor activities and games to engage with her. After all, as an older couple, we needed exercise, too! It became a wonderful opportunity for all of us to move together.
The Park Adventures
The park became the perfect setting. It was spacious, peaceful, and surrounded by nature. We could hear birds chirping and leaves rustling in the breeze. We ran around, chased squirrels, picked leaves, and threw stones into the river. It felt like heaven on earth. We encouraged Roro to jump from one steppingstone to another. I remember the large fallen trees, where we’d help her cross, guiding her to focus on walking from one end to the other. Gong Gong would be waiting on the other side to lift her up. “Jump, Roro! Gong Gong will catch you!” he’d cheer. Roro was so proud of herself—she wanted to do it again. It was a simple, joyful way to connect with her and help her engage with her environment in her own unique way.
At the park, there was a wedding stage. Many times, it became our performance stage. Popo always dreamed of being a movie star, so this was a golden opportunity to share that dream with her granddaughter. It didn’t matter that Gong gong was the only audience—we sang, danced, and even bowed. Roro had such a good time. Later, at her piano recitals, no matter how well she played, she always remembered to bow. She had been well-trained by her Popo. That’s definitely an important part of the story you shouldn’t miss!
The Power of Small Achievements
We bought all sorts of training toys for Roro, like Soft Spike Flashing Light-Up Bouncy Balls, for her to chase, throw, and squeeze. These toys were incredibly helpful in training her eye-body coordination and strengthening her hands. As grandparents, even though we had plenty of time, we knew we had to use it wisely. One of the small yet significant things we did was patiently wait for her to buckle her seatbelt in the car. Sometimes, it would take more than 10 minutes, but we let her try at her own pace. Eventually, she did it! “Hooray!” we cheered—what a big achievement for her!
We also let her chase the flashing bouncy balls from upstairs to downstairs. She was so focused on the balls that she kept running down without even noticing. Today, she skis so well, and her grandparents definitely deserve some credit for that!
Monkey Bars and Milestones
All children love playgrounds, and what attracted Roro the most was the Monkey Bars. She was fascinated by watching other kids swing across like monkeys. Since she didn’t have the strength to do it on her own, we would usually help her cross the bars. She’d encourage herself by saying, “Hold tight, hold tight.” Thankfully, after a few years, she was finally able to reach the other side on her own. By then, her grandparents were too tired to hold her up anymore!
The Destiny from God
During that time, we made the decision to quit our jobs and spend more time with Roro. I’m thankful to God for granting us the opportunity to make that choice. Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and we’ve realized that the moments we spent with Roro—whether big or small—were the most rewarding of our lives. Those moments deepened our true understanding of patience, love, and resilience.
Roro is a unique person, a special creation by God. We will always love her just the way she is—and just the way she will continue to be.