The good, the bad and the rugby.
Hi again,
after a fantastic weekend I thought I would type the latest from our household.
I had to take a step back over the weekend and rein in my Daddy urges to fix a normal playground situation. My sons were playing at a park and a girl of perhaps four years old spotted my autistic son wasn't quite the same. I think they have an instinct as he looks "normal" and was playing perfectly well with no screaming, self stimulation or gazing into space.
Anyway, she began calling him a baby to which he had no concept, no interest and happily carried on playing. My elder son came over to where I was sitting close by and was visibly upset by this. I was immensely proud as he is usually fiercely protective of his l'il bro and usually lets his temper take over and gives it back verbally and protects him. After a little chat with me he went back to the situation and made sure the girl wasn't able to be too close to his l'il bro and the situation was diffused. He did have a couple of sneaky words with her too which I was aware and proud of. Nothing sinister, rude or threatening, just loyal.
I have to say that the little girls parents weren't oblivious to this and I found that a little discouraging. I was very close to resolving the issue with the parents but could tell this would have escalated it to another level. I have mentioned this before but its a case of educating people that autism isn't threatening, its just looking at things from a unique angle. :-)
Anyway, sun was shining and we squeezed in a last BBQ of the year. The grandparents came over and it was just one of those great days. Nothing special happened but the boys played so well together that you would never think that often there is parallel playing with them.
The complete and utter fascination with opening and closing doors is becoming a big problem now. The reward for good behaviour in Fresco supermarket has been a two-minute play with the lift or doors. This is gradually being whittled down and we know that the time will come when the piercing screams and/or running off will happen very shortly when the zero-time for doors is upon us. At home we have a nice kitchen with the soft closing doors on the cupboards and drawers. This is Christmas everyday for my son. He will open one of the doors and be physically stimulated as it slowly closes. This takes the shape of hand flapping, a huge smile and an intense stare. It is easy to let him do this as its a safe environment, he is happy and leaves some time for quality time with the eldest son. Obviously we don't do this but it just highlights the parts of autism that I just cant fathom out. I just want to get inside his head and see the thoughts but I know this is the wish of all parents in the same boat.
At school he is still enjoying it and has got some homework now too!!! Ok, its just a picture book with no words and we read it to him, but its a kind of the normality we are looking for. We make sure he has "homework-time" like his big bro and that his big bro sees this too. On the flip side, he is due to go full time after Christmas but his shadow and the school don't have funding for him having a full time shadow. The worst case scenario is that when the shadow leaves at lunchtime, he will simply do as he pleases and leave the school grounds. As he has no concept of danger, this could be through the main gates or through a hedge opening. We have also been advised that he wont get into his special school until end of 2008 at the earliest. Until now we have been encouraged by the support of the local authorities but we are now taking advice on what is the best route for his needs.
Wasn't the rugby fantastic!!??? So much so that my eldest now wants to play rugby, but not when its cold. Obviously. :-) My autistic boy is fantastic at football and is now up to volleying the ball at ferocious speeds and heights, of which our neighbours can testify. "Can we have our ball back please"? The funny thing with this is that our friends and some family say its the rainman thing where autistic people have a "gift". "He could be the first autistic footballer you know". I know its people being kind and trying to give us hope and it takes me back to my impressions of autism a few years ago. Bear with me for a second and let me enjoy every daddy's dream though and pretend it could happen. He is banging them in for my fave team, earning 100k a week and I am his adviser, translator and of course, proud dad! All he wants is to do is boot the ball hard as he can and come home with Daddy to play with his OWN kitchen cupboard doors. I could live with that. Heh heh.
Take care and have a great week!!
after a fantastic weekend I thought I would type the latest from our household.
I had to take a step back over the weekend and rein in my Daddy urges to fix a normal playground situation. My sons were playing at a park and a girl of perhaps four years old spotted my autistic son wasn't quite the same. I think they have an instinct as he looks "normal" and was playing perfectly well with no screaming, self stimulation or gazing into space.
Anyway, she began calling him a baby to which he had no concept, no interest and happily carried on playing. My elder son came over to where I was sitting close by and was visibly upset by this. I was immensely proud as he is usually fiercely protective of his l'il bro and usually lets his temper take over and gives it back verbally and protects him. After a little chat with me he went back to the situation and made sure the girl wasn't able to be too close to his l'il bro and the situation was diffused. He did have a couple of sneaky words with her too which I was aware and proud of. Nothing sinister, rude or threatening, just loyal.
I have to say that the little girls parents weren't oblivious to this and I found that a little discouraging. I was very close to resolving the issue with the parents but could tell this would have escalated it to another level. I have mentioned this before but its a case of educating people that autism isn't threatening, its just looking at things from a unique angle. :-)
Anyway, sun was shining and we squeezed in a last BBQ of the year. The grandparents came over and it was just one of those great days. Nothing special happened but the boys played so well together that you would never think that often there is parallel playing with them.
The complete and utter fascination with opening and closing doors is becoming a big problem now. The reward for good behaviour in Fresco supermarket has been a two-minute play with the lift or doors. This is gradually being whittled down and we know that the time will come when the piercing screams and/or running off will happen very shortly when the zero-time for doors is upon us. At home we have a nice kitchen with the soft closing doors on the cupboards and drawers. This is Christmas everyday for my son. He will open one of the doors and be physically stimulated as it slowly closes. This takes the shape of hand flapping, a huge smile and an intense stare. It is easy to let him do this as its a safe environment, he is happy and leaves some time for quality time with the eldest son. Obviously we don't do this but it just highlights the parts of autism that I just cant fathom out. I just want to get inside his head and see the thoughts but I know this is the wish of all parents in the same boat.
At school he is still enjoying it and has got some homework now too!!! Ok, its just a picture book with no words and we read it to him, but its a kind of the normality we are looking for. We make sure he has "homework-time" like his big bro and that his big bro sees this too. On the flip side, he is due to go full time after Christmas but his shadow and the school don't have funding for him having a full time shadow. The worst case scenario is that when the shadow leaves at lunchtime, he will simply do as he pleases and leave the school grounds. As he has no concept of danger, this could be through the main gates or through a hedge opening. We have also been advised that he wont get into his special school until end of 2008 at the earliest. Until now we have been encouraged by the support of the local authorities but we are now taking advice on what is the best route for his needs.
Wasn't the rugby fantastic!!??? So much so that my eldest now wants to play rugby, but not when its cold. Obviously. :-) My autistic boy is fantastic at football and is now up to volleying the ball at ferocious speeds and heights, of which our neighbours can testify. "Can we have our ball back please"? The funny thing with this is that our friends and some family say its the rainman thing where autistic people have a "gift". "He could be the first autistic footballer you know". I know its people being kind and trying to give us hope and it takes me back to my impressions of autism a few years ago. Bear with me for a second and let me enjoy every daddy's dream though and pretend it could happen. He is banging them in for my fave team, earning 100k a week and I am his adviser, translator and of course, proud dad! All he wants is to do is boot the ball hard as he can and come home with Daddy to play with his OWN kitchen cupboard doors. I could live with that. Heh heh.
Take care and have a great week!!
posted by Parent at
11:18 AM
3 Comments:
Hi I'm a parent of 3 boys, the youngest being autistic, your day out at the Park sounds very similar to our visits to the Park. He is 4 and just started mainstream school he has full-time support. Nice to know I'm not alone.
By
Anonymous, at 3:24 PM
Hi, I`m a parent of two, my girl is 6 and a have a 4 autistic son, when I read about your expiriences in the park, makes me see that we having the same dificulties, feel always anxios about how deal with other children and parents that always give you the look for having a bizarre behave child, unnotice his dificulties and frustration people judge him as bad behave chid. Good to know that we are not the only ones!
By
Anonymous, at 9:48 PM
I am reading through your blogs and i really think you could put all these into a book!!!!
By
Anonymous, at 3:40 PM
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