Wednesday, May 4, 2011

What Did You Say?!?!


Help!  My son is using some really mean phrases!  He is not very verbal in the first place, but now when he does talk it is either demands (Chips!  Blocks!  Water!) and hardly ever with a "Please" unless I prompt him, or he is going around saying things like, "I pinch you," "I kick you," "I hate you," and his newest "I kill you!"  I have no idea how to handle this.  It's not like we are saying these things around the house!  The only things he watches, besides his special videos (like Teach 2 Talk and Your Baby Can Read) and some "educational" shows occasionally (like Clifford and Barney), are a couple of Disney movies.  I think the latter (the Disney shows) might be where he is getting these phrases from (Monsters, Inc, Toy Story 3, etc...).  I guess I am going to have to take the movies away (which I haven't done yet because I've felt it was unfair to his little brother), and hope that he will be able to forget these phrases, quickly!  I am getting worried because he is becoming more aggressive as he is growing older also.  I'm not sure what I will do when he is stronger than me.  I hope that he can learn to be in control of his emotions by then.    

Sunday, May 1, 2011

We Can't Forget the Siblings

Today's post is a little different because it doesn't have much to do with my autistic son.  He was in bed at the time.  Nope, it is about his little brother.  We CANNOT forget these beautiful siblings of special needs children.

Last night, I had a few of my childhood friends over to catch up.  I thought the evening was going to be just what I needed, and it was, but what I realized throughout the evening is that it was what my little one needed also.  We don't have a lot of playdates because my son with autism just can't handle the extra noise and commotion of extra bodies in the house.  Don't get me wrong, we do have certain friends who still drop in (one in particular that I can think of) that understand my son as best they can and their kids play around my son.  Not always "with" my son, since he lacks in social skills because of his autism, but he loves to watch them play.

Anyway, during my evening last night, I started watching "baby brother" and his interactions with my friends' kids.  First he was being chased by the little girls and was screaming and laughing in delight, then they were down on all fours roaring and pretending to be all sorts of animals, and then my son and one of his new friends (my friend's little boy who is just about the same age) climbed onto the kitchen chairs and ate bowls of ice cream together.  It was a beautiful sight, all of it.

I need to make sure that I am nurturing his friendships as he grows older and schedule plenty of playdates, even if his older brother just watches.  Maybe, eventually, he will learn to join in and be chased by the girls too!  ;)