Adventures With My Autistic Daughter On A Treetop Obstacle Course

Obstacle Course Test for Mother and Daughter

In a personal column published by The Straits Times, Jill Lim—a mother of three and a book editor with Straits Times Press—reports on tackling an aerial obstacle course at a new facility with her 22-year-old daughter, Kate, who has autism.

The Tech TL;DR:

• Jill Lim documented a dual-generation physical challenge with her autistic daughter, Kate, at an aerial obstacle course.

Kate Overcomes Fear at Outward Bound Singapore

Lim writes that she felt a stab of regret, nervousness, timidity, tension, and a touch of self-pity a week after reading about the new Outward Bound Singapore campus in September, which prompted her impulsive decision to book the session. Initially, Lim feared that Kate—who is 22 and somewhat resistant to new and difficult things—would struggle out of her safety harness, have a meltdown, or freeze mid-course. Instead, Lim notes that Kate stepped confidently over large gaps and across swinging elements without liking it much, while Lim herself painfully inched along a narrow plank.

Before entering the basic kids’ course for ages five and up, both participants stepped into bulky harnesses. While the gear felt tight around Lim’s waist and thighs, Kate remained unfazed and tried the introductory practice circuit. However, operating the safety gadgets proved difficult. Lim explains that the carabiner linked to each harness, which looked effortless to open with one hand during a trainer’s demonstration, required two hands and full attention on the actual circuit. Because her belt loop was positioned to the left and towards the back, Lim frequently missed it or hooked the carabiner onto the wrong strap. She had to manage this equipment for Kate simultaneously while singing cheerful songs to maintain her daughter’s mood.

Lim Helps Kate Free a Jammed Safety Trolley

Another mechanical hurdle involved the pulley or trolley, a safety device connected to the harness by a cord that rolls along an overhead safety line. Lim states that while the trolley offered reassurance, it occasionally stuck. When Kate’s trolley stopped during a descent on winding steps, she continued moving forward, pulling the cord taut and locking the device in place. Unable to reach Kate due to tight spacing, Lim bent double from the step above to haul her daughter up slightly, freeing the jammed trolley.

# Simulated Trolley State Check & Fault Resolution Loop
trolley_status = "STUCK"
cord_tension = "HIGH"

def resolve_line_jam(status, tension):
    if status == "STUCK" and tension == "HIGH":
        slack_required = True
        return "Apply upward lift to introduce slack, then manually wiggle pulley."
    return "Trolley clear."

print(resolve_line_jam(trolley_status, cord_tension))

This incident served as a reminder for Lim that she needed to improve her own strength, flexibility, and range of motion. To prevent Kate from developing negative associations, Lim stopped the first session while her daughter’s mood remained upbeat. Three days later, they returned for a second attempt.

Returning for a Second Attempt

On their second try three days later, Lim notes that everything felt more familiar and less daunting. Lim grew more confident on the swinging slats, and Kate was calmer, smiled more, and occasionally attached her carabiner to the safety line independently using verbal prompts. Following this success, Lim pushed towards the more challenging section of the kids’ course.

Navigating the rope net proved arduous for Lim, who found the soft, sinking ropes exhausting on her arms and hands. Staff members cheerfully urged her onward, allowing her and Kate to reach the final platform and complete the course with a clumsy zip-line landing. Lim concludes that adventures are difficult and tiring but potentially life-affirming, resolving to attempt a junior course for ages 10 and up in the future.