Jimu News reporter Chen Qian
Photojournalist Liu Zhongcan
【Event Review】
Children with autism are known as "star children", and their perception and communication with the outside world are almost insurmountable barriers, which may take a year or even ten years of repeated training before they can learn to respond correctly to a question from others, distinguish the difference between "you" and "me", and may not even learn it all the time. The pressure and bitterness that the parents of the children are under is unimaginable to others.
Founded by "snail mother" Zhu Wenqin, the Wuhan Snail Home Service Center for the Mentally Handicapped, as a public welfare organization, has helped nearly 500 "star children" and their parents grow up together. As a mother of a child with multiple disabilities, Zhu Wenqin has a wish that more children with autism can become "ordinary", integrate into society and find jobs like other children.
On April 2, 2023, Chutian Metropolis Daily Jimu News published a report on her and the "Snail Home" with the title of "Zhu Wenqin Guarding the "Children of the Stars to Integrate into Society"".
Zhu Wenqin
The most gratifying thing is that the children are making progress little by little
On December 26th, the New Year's Day event held in advance by "Snail Home" made the children's faces full of smiles. This year, such events have been held many times.
When the Han-Ma Race was held, Zhu Wenqin took the children, wearing a blue T-shirt with the words "Let Love Come, Let the Way Go", a blue sun hat, and a blue ribbon on his hand, beating the African drum rhythmically to cheer for the runners. On the eve of June 1st, together with the volunteers who came to the "Snail Home", they accompanied the children to play games and paint, and organized the children's parents to attend classes to exchange their experience and relieve anxiety.
In the movie "Rain Man", Dustin Hoffman played an autistic patient with a super memory, which made many people have this stereotype: there is no shortage of geniuses among autistic people, they just can't communicate with the outside world and are forever trapped in their own world. But in fact, the vast majority of autistic children can only shine alone in the dark sky, lack of communication skills, and difficulty in controlling emotions, which makes it difficult for autistic people to Xi and live in school. Zhu Wenqin has also come into contact with some autistic children with unique talents, but even such "geniuses" are still their goals after their efforts to learn basic self-care and be able to go out and go home smoothly by themselves.
After repeating it many times and thinking of many ways, the children's little progress is enough to make parents happy.
Xiao Gang (pseudonym), who has been in the "Snail Home" for the longest time, has been 4 years, from crying as soon as he left his parents when he first lived and studyed, to now being able to read and study Xi quietly, which has made Zhu Wenqin very gratified. The eldest, Xiao Ming (pseudonym), when he came here two years ago, Zhu Wenqin set a goal for him: to make him speak. Now, when he comes home, he will take the initiative to pull his mother to tell him about his experience of a day in the "snail home", and he can also take the bus home by himself. He also learned to stir-fry with an induction cooker, but he was not accustomed to Xi the flames that burst out when the gas stove was turned on.
Help children better integrate into society
In the new year, Zhu Wenqin's biggest wish is that the "Snail Home" can become a designated rehabilitation institution of the Wuhan Disabled Persons' Federation, "At present, most of the designated rehabilitation institutions in Wuhan are mainly for young children. Compared with older children, the effect of rehabilitation in younger children will be more significant, but older children also have the need to continue learning, Xi, rehabilitation and exercise. After becoming a designated rehabilitation institution of the Wuhan Disabled Persons' Federation, each child has a rehabilitation subsidy of more than 10,000 yuan a year, which can reduce the burden on the family for parents. ”
In order to help the children a little more, Zhu Wenqin tried his best. She said that for most children with autism, what they need is lifelong companionship, but what do they need to do when parents can't accompany them through life?
This year, Zhu Wenqin also went to many places to inspect the Xi. In Shenzhen, there is a car wash called "Xihan'er", the founder of the car shop is the father of an autistic child, and most of the employees he hires are also mentally handicapped "big children". Although the movements are not as skilled as the able-bodied, and the hands and feet are not as good as the able-bodied, relying on the master's teaching and the help of the special education teacher, at least you can complete the work of washing the car and get an income. Zhu Wenqin is also interested in this model. "At least let the children and parents feel that they can also realize their social value and be able to contribute their own strength. ”
"We contacted caring enterprises to make packaging cartons, organized children to make beads, clay sculptures and other handmade products, and let them see the value of their labor through charity sales. Zhu Wenqin said that in this way, it is also one of the missions of "Snail Home" to let children better integrate into society.
I hope that there will be more light in the child's starry sky
In the "snail homeland", Zhu Wenqin has a dual identity. To all the children, she is a caring, patient, and always smiling "Teacher Zhu". Not only does she take the children to music lessons, but she also makes the beds for the children and helps prepare three meals a day. At the same time, she is also one of many parents, her son Cowboy (pseudonym) is receiving rehabilitation training here, and other parents call her "Cowboy Mom", just like they call each other in the way of "child + Mom and Dad".
The cowboy now makes Zhu Wenqin the most reassuring point: "well-behaved". She said, "You can take anyone with you, and you can go out with anyone." She has also met parents who are still reluctant to accept the reality that their children are autistic. "For parents, we will also give various helps, such as yoga and flower arrangement, so that they can relax and not be too anxious to affect their children. Our goal is not to change children, but to lower the barriers in their lives and create an inclusive and inclusive social environment. ”
In the "Snail Home", some children can go to school for half a day after rehabilitation training, and half a day of rehabilitation training here, parents can have time to work, and the children are accompanied and cared for. When talking about children, Zhu Wenqin always has a smile on his face.
The "Snail Home" will also have some able-bodied children visiting and playing games with the children under the guidance of volunteers. Zhu Wenqin usually leads the children to play games like grabbing stools, but with able-bodied children, they basically never win. "For able-bodied children, there may be a situation where they really don't care about winning or losing, but for our children, they really don't have the concept of winning or losing. For these children, if they can have more light through the love of the outside world in their own starry sky, that is the truest happiness. Zhu Wenqin said.
(Source: Jimu News)
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