Why is that the kids have to be dragged out of the leaba during the week but arise earlier than you'd ever imagine at the weekend. And when that child has autism , you can be sure that he ain't going back to bed , no matter what you do.
Thankfully this morning he arose after satellite TV had started and I didn't have to rummage around for Bob the builderdvds' with goo in my eyes. I rushed through preparing his breakfast. I could do it in my sleep at this stage , as it's the same everyday - a kinder bar , spoon supernuthera, supplement drink and spelt bread with all fruit jam ( 3 slices cut in half). Then, I quickly checked that all sweets were locked away , hid the keys and told him I was going back to bed and didn't want him to disturb anyone until we were ready to wake up. As expected, this wasn't received too well especially since my tone was strict and I fully expected to be back downstairs within minutes, begrudgingly starting the day.
Back in bed, right on cue, I heard the scraping of a chair as he climbed on it to scour the presses for buried treasure, but I was 99% sure I'd done a good job hiding the loot. So, I tried to get back to sleep, fully expecting to be jumped on with a demand to 'feed me' soon.
Well, much to my surprise, I wasn't disturbed. Not once. He didn't demand anything at all - no demands to change TV channels, prepare food or drinks, nor indeed a request to play Bob with him. I was snug in my bed way past 9.30 when Dave brought Theodore ( at 3, the baby still ) into our bed for a cuddle.
Wow, it was such a delight. It just felt so regular, so typical. To be able to go back to bed and leave Simon watching TV like I would his NT brother and find that he truly had the patience to wait for the rest of us to get up.
After a rocky start , another milestone, surely.
Well done, Simon. And thanks.
Navajo
Really loving Sonya Derian's latest offering on http://omfreely.com/.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Why still happy?
It literally just dawned on me yesterday morning that I wanted to blog. I'd have to attribute this desire to the wonderful irishautismaction.blogspot.com which deservedly won the irish blog award and continues to inspire me since I first logged on. It's also got a lot to do with the amount of time I actually spend reading inspirational blogs in my efforts to acquire happiness and banish sadness. Hence the title of this blog.
Up until I had a kid with a disability, I could never understand how families with a disabled child could look happy, in fact be happy. It's taken me a significant amount of time to accept the suffering that comes with autism, to work with the emotions of anger, grief, sadness, frustration - often in the space of one day and find that ultimately I am 'still happy' and so is my family.
Now, don't get me wrong. I can have truly rotten days.
And so, I've set myself a challenge - to embrace a blog that includes my love of philosophy and my son with his challenges of moderate autism, severe adhd and dyspraxia. The practical aspect of the philosophy will be that I will only post good intentions, good thoughts, good deeds, good events. So, the challenge for me is to find the good , to be 'still happy', no matter what the day brings.
I'm very lucky today to be blessed with an easy start. I booked Simon in for 5 horseriding sessions with Festina Lente in Bray. Yesterday, was a disaster - major meltdown, worse than I've witnessed in a longtime, despite the fact he really does want to be a cowboy like Bob in 'Built to be Wild' - for Bob afiscionados, this really is one of his best! I even received a kick in the face. Well today, while only able to walk the horse and occasionally give it a shy pat or two, Simon told me 'i was the best mama in the world'. Now, there I was daydreaming away that he'll be able to sit on the horse by session 5, when his comment made me realise, that he was really enjoying himself - walking the horse, talking to her and just being there. He was truly present and yet I was not. |I was wishing for more. He taught me to do what 'festina lente' truly means - hasten slowly.
Navajo
If you fancy a bit of of general good news...I've been on a media fast since the big R word...why not subscribe to GIMUNDO. It's free and will give you a good news story everyday from somewhere in the universe. I love the videos especially the concentration camp survivor and relatives singing and dancing away to Gloria Gaynor's I will survive outside camps he endured. Also, James May's Lego house is a must for any aspies out there.
Up until I had a kid with a disability, I could never understand how families with a disabled child could look happy, in fact be happy. It's taken me a significant amount of time to accept the suffering that comes with autism, to work with the emotions of anger, grief, sadness, frustration - often in the space of one day and find that ultimately I am 'still happy' and so is my family.
Now, don't get me wrong. I can have truly rotten days.
And so, I've set myself a challenge - to embrace a blog that includes my love of philosophy and my son with his challenges of moderate autism, severe adhd and dyspraxia. The practical aspect of the philosophy will be that I will only post good intentions, good thoughts, good deeds, good events. So, the challenge for me is to find the good , to be 'still happy', no matter what the day brings.
I'm very lucky today to be blessed with an easy start. I booked Simon in for 5 horseriding sessions with Festina Lente in Bray. Yesterday, was a disaster - major meltdown, worse than I've witnessed in a longtime, despite the fact he really does want to be a cowboy like Bob in 'Built to be Wild' - for Bob afiscionados, this really is one of his best! I even received a kick in the face. Well today, while only able to walk the horse and occasionally give it a shy pat or two, Simon told me 'i was the best mama in the world'. Now, there I was daydreaming away that he'll be able to sit on the horse by session 5, when his comment made me realise, that he was really enjoying himself - walking the horse, talking to her and just being there. He was truly present and yet I was not. |I was wishing for more. He taught me to do what 'festina lente' truly means - hasten slowly.
Navajo
If you fancy a bit of of general good news...I've been on a media fast since the big R word...why not subscribe to GIMUNDO. It's free and will give you a good news story everyday from somewhere in the universe. I love the videos especially the concentration camp survivor and relatives singing and dancing away to Gloria Gaynor's I will survive outside camps he endured. Also, James May's Lego house is a must for any aspies out there.
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