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FRWe love the fishing tips.
Shawn’s mom @fragile.what.mom was thrilled when he chose fishing as his #1 hobby, all on his own.
My wife’s family loves fishing. Her dad and grandpa taught her growing up.
My family wasn’t into it so I never learned.
He spent countless hours on YouTube @rawwfishing watching videos and learning how to fish. After over a year of persistent requests, we decided to hook him up with his own gear. It took us even longer to get him out there. With my wife’s limited knowledge from her childhood and mine next to none, it’s amazing because HE has been teaching US.
The last three months, we’ve brought him every week. He’s caught zero fish. In other scenarios a similar situation may cause him distress. Working so hard for something with no reward. That hasn’t happened here. The reward is not just catching the fish, but the experience itself. It’s calming and relaxing and fills his cup in so many ways.
You should see his persistence in asking us to go when he gets the itch, his motivation to get ready when we tell him we are going, his determination once he’s there. You should see his face when he casts that line, the way he studies the water like he knows exactly what he’s doing. He sure knows more than we do - he’s teaching himself and helping us learn as well.
This is what living with Fragile X looks like. A kid who decides what he wants, learns it himself, and shows up every single week whether it’s working or not.
The fish will come. Or they won’t. Either way, we’ll be back next week.
(Side note: We love your fishing tips! Keep them coming! We are so excited to see Shawn catch his first fish in California (he has caught one in Michigan when we were visiting family).
@fragile.what
