Meg and I have joked lately that we need to write a book of stories about toilet training boys in the autism spectrum. Here's a recent example:
To really understand this story, you have to know that we are working on several different goals with Patrick at the same time. Sure, we want him to learn to use the toilet on a more consistent basis for any substances that are ready to leave his system at the end of the digestive process. But, of course, we're also wanting him to work on things like pretend play -- where you treat an object "as if" it is something else. So we pretend that a banana is a phone, for example.
OK, so the other day Meg notices that he smells, and after cleaning him asks where the poop is. Patrick is reluctant to provide this information, but Meg eventually learns from our other son that the offending material is downstairs. So she takes Patrick downstairs to help clean this up, and he grabs this little rubbery/plastic rabbit that he's been sleeping with at night. When they get downstairs and Meg removes the little towel Jacob had put over the poop, Patrick looks at the poop, looks at Meg, throws the rabbit into the pile of poop and declares excitedly "the bunny jumped in the mud!"
Which can only evict a mixed reaction under the circumstances. Excitement about his developing pretend play skills, horror at the thought that he might try to recreate this little scenario, and laughter at the utter absurdity of it all.
Ah, the life of a parent...
5 comments:
mixed indeed. thanks for the laugh!
Yes, thanks for the laugh!
My daughter and I went to the movies this afternoon. One of the previews showed this mom and her little boy. Spying something dark on his clothes, she's saying to him, "Now is this chocolate on you or poop?" No answer. "Is it chocolate or poop?" Again, no answer so, exasperated, she just tests it by licking it.
My daughter and I both gasped.
Pretty funny.
I don't know what to say, interesting.
great slice of life story!
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