Aiden

For Ana, La Posada is an important and joyous holiday celebration. La Posada commemorates the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and is celebrated in Latin American Catholic communities. Prior to moving to Sacramento, Ana, her husband Daniel, and their two children would celebrate the holiday by singing with neighbors, enjoying tasty food, and giving the children in the community a pinata to find treats in.

With the new move to Sacramento, Ana has been working on getting her son, Aiden, comfortable with the transition. He has flourished with being in school and being able to interact with peers. Prior to being in school, Aiden received his education online. However, the option to socially interact with other teens his age has helped improve his communication.

Aiden’s parents have been focusing on improving his communication skills. As a person with Down syndrome and autism, Aiden has some difficulties in being able to vocalize his thoughts and needs. With speech therapists and being in school, Aiden has shown improvement. Additionally, his parents talk with him in both Spanish and English so he can retain his cultural background through language.

Next year, Aiden will transition to high school and it has been a little nerve-racking for Ana and Daniel to loosen the reigns and allow him to gain some independence. They recently learned of his artistic abilities and he now attends classes at Fika Art Studio. His parents are amazed at his ability to follow direction and maintain interest throughout a class, and they are wowed at the art he has created. They also feel gratitude for their Service Coordinator for suggesting this opportunity for Aiden. Being in multiple classroom settings has helped cure some of the parental anxiety they were feeling and hope Aiden will do well in high school classroom settings.

As Aiden continues to develop and flourish, his parents want to find their church and community and once again continue the tradition of celebrating La Posada. As a Mexican and Guatemalan family, it is important for them to integrate their culture and their faith into the lives of their children. But they understand the need to prioritize Aiden’s developmental growth. Ana and Daniel are grateful for the services they have received and feel ecstatic about what the future holds for them.