Navigating the Journey: Ting’s Experience as a Proud Parent of Emily

Navigating the Journey: Ting’s Experience as a Proud Parent of Emily

Meet Ting, a dedicated mother whose daughter Emily lives with minor autism and an intellectual disorder. Through patience, persistence, and unconditional love, Ting has learned to celebrate growth in all its forms—one milestone at a time. In this conversation, she shares her journey navigating education, therapy, and community support for Emily, offering heartfelt advice for families walking a similar path.

Early Discoveries

Ting first noticed differences in Emily’s development when she was just a toddler.

“When she was one or two years old, I realized she couldn’t talk,” Ting recalls. “Everything was kind of delayed—not only socially, but in other areas too. Their skills are very scattered; some are better than others.”

For Ting, this realization brought a mix of emotions—concern, curiosity, and hope. It marked the beginning of her deep commitment to understanding how Emily learns best and finding ways to nurture her strengths.

Education: Finding What Works

When asked about navigating the educational system, Ting shares that their experience in Cupertino has been relatively positive—though not without its challenges.

“The teachers seem knowledgeable, but every kid is different,” she says. “When Emily was learning phonics, it took almost a year without progress. I found materials myself and taught her at home—and she learned in a few months.”

Ting believes the key lies in personalized support and flexible teaching methods.

“There should definitely be more individualized learning. The schools tend to focus on behavior management or simpler exercises, but sometimes that limits how much they actually teach,” she explains. “Group learning is important, but experience and adaptation matter most.”

Despite these hurdles, Ting continues to send Emily to school for its social value.

“She may not learn as fast there, but school gives her social experiences I can’t always provide at home,” she says. “We can’t teach her everything all day, every day. Improvement takes teamwork—between school, home, and community.”

Therapy and Support

Ting has explored many forms of therapy over the years—each offering different benefits for Emily’s development.

“We’ve used speech therapy, occupational therapy, and ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) since she was little. It’s been mostly beneficial,” Ting explains. “Now that she’s older, we mostly continue speech and occupational therapy.”

She acknowledges that finding the right balance takes time—and that not all interventions fit every child.

“There are many different routes—you just have to see what works,” she adds with a smile.

The Power of Community

Ting emphasizes that community involvement has been one of the most important parts of Emily’s growth.

“Community support is so important,” she says. “For example, you helping her with English teaching—that’s something we can’t always do ourselves. Having peers or volunteers makes a big difference.”

As Emily grows older, Ting hopes to see communities offer more inclusive opportunities for young adults with special needs.

“Finding jobs will be hard. Most workplaces want people who can do everything,” Ting explains. “But if a job lets them focus on a few specific tasks, they can do those very well. The challenge is getting communities to see that value.”

Looking Ahead: What Needs to Change

Ting hopes for more individualized support in the education system, especially for children with higher support needs.

“For lower-functioning children, schools need to provide more one-on-one help,” she says. “Even in elementary school, they mostly offer small social groups instead of full ABA support.”

She also suggests better access to specialized learning materials—both physical and digital—so families can use them at home.

“Some resources can’t be uploaded online, but if there was a place to find titles or purchase them easily, that would help parents a lot,” Ting suggests.

A Mother’s Perspective

Ting’s story is one of resilience, patience, and creativity. Through constant trial and error, she’s found ways to help Emily learn, grow, and shine in her own way. Her journey reminds us that progress doesn’t have to look the same for every child—and that love, consistency, and support can turn small steps into lasting achievements.

“She can learn,” Ting says, smiling. “She just needs to practice again and again.”

Final Thoughts

Ting’s journey highlights what so many parents of neurodivergent children experience—a mix of challenges, discoveries, and hope. Her dedication shows the impact of personalized learning, patient teaching, and strong community involvement.

At NeuroKind, we’re inspired by families like Ting and Emily—families that remind us that kindness, creativity, and understanding can make education truly inclusive.