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Dan Coulter
Do you crave recognition?
Do you secretly yearn for praise of your accomplishments? While
it’s
socially appropriate to be modest, just about all of us want our
good works to be noticed. And we love rewards. What could feel
better than someone praising us and offering a concrete
expression of their appreciation?
During the years I worked in various corporate jobs, these
expressions were frequently tangible. Company rewards often come
in the form of plaques or promotions or bonuses. One of the best
I ever received was a trip to Disney World with my family when
my kids were little. Talk about making dad a hero.
Now that I’m working for myself, the rewards are different. It
means a lot when customers praise the videos my wife and I make
or when a program gets an enthusiastic review from an expert.
Living with less tangible rewards helps me appreciate all the
other folks out there who provide support to children or adults
who have Asperger Syndrome or autism and who don’t have a formal
reward structure. Folks like the moms and dads or siblings.
Let’s add grandparents, friends, teachers, tutors, counselors,
aides, coaches, and therapists. You can’t capture all the
possibilities of people who should get credit in a list.
Some jobs, such as teacher or counselor, do sometimes offer
structured, work-related rewards for providing excellent
support. But in my experience, they usually don’t reach the
levels or frequency of the corporate cornucopia. And, trust me,
many of the folks I’ve met who support people with Asperger
Syndrome or autism deserve rewards just as much as my esteemed
former corporate colleagues.
A while back, I wrote an article about the importance of giving
positive feedback to the people we deal with on a daily basis.
Now, I’m proposing that we take this a step further.
Think about someone who’s made a difference in the life of your
child on the spectrum and give him or her recognition AND a
reward.
The reward doesn’t have to be expensive. For example, as I write
this, there’s a framed document hanging on the wall next to me
titled, “Five Reasons I Wouldn’t Want Any Other Daddy.” My
daughter gave it to me when she was a lot younger. The five
reasons she wrote are extravagant and funny and it’s one of most
treasured rewards I’ve ever received.
In an age of computers, it’s relatively easy to create and print
your own award citation. You can make up your own category and
describe the great work someone’s done. Pick up an inexpensive
frame and, voila, you’re giving a reward that announces your
appreciation to everyone who sees it. But whether you offer an
award plaque or cookies or a custom printed T-shirt, a tangible
reward is a great way to give extra spark to recognition for
someone who truly deserves it. Not to mention giving him or her
that emotional boost we all need to do our best work.
If we may, my wife and I would like to assist.
We’re holding an awards program to recognize outstanding support
for someone with Asperger Syndrome or Autism. You can find
information on our website at
www.coultervideo.com/supportaward2008.htm that explains how
to enter and submit a 300 to 500 word essay nominating a
candidate. We’ll select two nominees who we feel best represent
the spirit of support. With their permission, on Wednesday,
April 30, 2008 we’ll post the two essays about them on our
website and send them each a complete set of the DVDs we
produce, including all nine titles. We’re calling this project
the “Spirit of Support” awards. We'll accept entries through
Monday, April 14, 2008.
In the meantime, don’t forget the cookies. Rewards come in all
sizes. And appreciation fills a part of us that should never go
empty.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dan Coulter produces DVDs about
Asperger Syndrome and autism. His most recent releases include
“Understanding Brothers and Sisters with Autism” and
“Understanding Brothers and Sisters with Asperger Syndrome.” You
can find more articles on his website at
www.coultervideo.com.
Copyright 2008 Dan Coulter All Rights Reserved Used By
Permission
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