Oliver struggles physically, and he knows it. We have discussions about how he is last in sports, even behind the smallest girls (sigh). I tell him about his heart and his lungs and his muscles, but what does that mean to a 7-year-old? He just thinks it is unfair, and it is.
It has taken 18 months to get him anywhere in swimming, and now he can swim the length of the pool, dive to the bottom of the deep end, and is trying to master some semblance of a dive. But there are precious few fast twitch fibers at work…it’s a slow haul to get across the pool and by the 3rd lap he is exhausted while the other kids seem to be just warming up.
The other kids are also shooting hoops after school, playing soccer, softball, of whatever it is the kids with healthy hearts, lungs, and responsive muscles do. Poor Oliver will have nothing to do with competitive sports. And I don’t blame him? Who wants to come in last all the time? Or worse, be picked last for every team.
But he needs to do some kind of activity besides art. And that’s when it hit me.
Magic.
Slight of hand is fine motor. Check, we can always use more of that.
Getting up to give a show. Check, learning to speak in front of a crowd with confidence.
And it’s fun!
And best of all…he loves it!
So David Copperfield, you are on notice. Penn and Teller, run for cover. Chris Angel, face the music.
Boys, Magic Oliver is coming for you!
And here it is, the premiere performance of Magic Oliver…
