it's 'national autism week'...

I still have rough memories of early mornings listening to the original Thomas song.

Still not as bad as Caillou, though.

 

To be fair, they are the really useful crew.

(Enlightening thread, BTW).

 

Have your best day, everybody.

 

Thinking of you all and sending the love of the household. Hang in there.

 

Hope everyone on this thread is well and healthy and happy.

You're in my thoughts.

 

Dr. Wakefield’s bullshit vaccines-autism article was published 20 years ago today.

 

Thinking of you all today and hoping you're well.

 

What about Flowbee?

 

Had a tough time with mine today at special needs swimming. Picked him up from school, another three-star day. Great! He's reading in the truck, one of the Dav Pilkey books he loves. We go into the changing room. Everything is cool.

"When can I start saying the F-word?"

Uh oh. For whatever reason, he likes the sound of that word. How do you explain swear words, even to regular kids? They're a really weird invention. I use them all the time (never in front of my kids, however). It's kind of dumb that they exist. But you just can't say that word in public. I tell him, for the 5,000th time, that he can't say that word.

He then does what he usually does in that situation: He starts saying words that rhyme with it: Puck, Luck, Truck, Duck.

We're still getting changed. I tell him that he needs to stop.

He doesn't stop.

Puck, Luck, Truck, Duck.

I ask him maybe six or seven times to stop.

Puck, Luck, Truck, Duck.

"Last warning. Otherwise we don't go swimming."

Puck, Luck, Truck, Duck.

"Okay, no swimming." At this point we're changed into our swimmers but not in the pool. Back to the lockers. He bursts into tears. I tell him that I gave him several warnings. When I ask him to stop doing something, he has to listen. When I say last warning, that's his last warning.

We get changed. We leave. He's crying in my truck, finding solace in his book.

I then remember that there's a character in his book named Gluck. That was the trigger. He saw Gluck. That begat fuck. He knows he can't say fuck.

Puck, Luck, Truck, Duck.

I took him to his mum's. Told her what happened. Would have loved to swim but felt like "last warning" has to mean something. Felt terrible for hours. Went back to see him and have a father-son talk. He says sorry. I say sorry. Lots of hugs and kisses. Still feel bad, now eight hours later.

Sometimes that kid can seem custom built to break my heart.

 

I have no clue. But maybe try alternatives?

"You can say Fuck to me once in a while. I'm your dad. You just can't say it to others."

"Well, yeah, anyone can say Fuck out loud. But people don't like you then. Say Gluck instead. Or Puck or Duck."

I kinda think you should let him swim there, too. Talk him up about this cursing stuff during your pool time together? Does a take-away accomplish the punishment thing, or does it make it worse? I have no idea, so curious here.

 

If type is anything like me, sometimes you have to take a stand. Autistic children are persistent and manipulative. In that way they’re no different than typical kids.