“Just because I have no words doesn’t mean I have nothing to say”.
As parents, caregivers, family, and friends it’s our job to listen, to find ways to communicate with each other, to share in each others interests and company – with or without words.
A No Speech Party? No….
We have rules…not many…but the one’s we have we stick to
~ Parenting – It’s all about consistency ~
Rules such as –
Nothing too major…but one rule is ‘If you don’t finish therapy you get no iPad or computer for the evening’. Fair enough, right? I guess that would depend on who you asked…..
A convo with the Little Man:
Me: If you don’t finish speech you get no iPad
After few minutes of him shenanaginizing….
Me: Okay, no iPad
10 minutes later….and just realizing the consequences of his actions….
Little Man: iPad
Me: No iPad
Little Man: Computer
Me: No computer
Little Man: iPad
Me: No computer, no iPad, no nothing! You didn’t do speech you’re out of luck until tomorrow
Little Man: Party
Me: No party….no speech, no party!
Little Man: Outside
Me: Yes! Go outside…that sounds like a great place to play!
A few minutes later…. Commotion coming from out back….
Me: Whatcha doing?
Little Man: No Speech Party!! (as he throws his confetti in the air)
Something was lost in translation…
I say No Speech, No Party
He hears No Speech Party
I give up!
Hey all you DFW autism / special needs moms, all DFW Studio Movie Grills are doing a FREE Special Needs Movie Showing of Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days on August 11, 2012 at 11AM. We’ve been to many of the SMG Special Needs Movie Shows in the past and they’ve been great. You don’t have to worry if your kids have a hard time sitting still or are kind of loud, it’s no big deal which makes for a much more enjoyable experience for the kids 
#SharingTheSavings
To those of you who selflessly help those who cannot help themselves, you cannot imagine how important what you do is. THANK YOU!!!! I ran across this a few years back and I hope you enjoy::
Beatitudes For The Handicapped
~ Blessed are those who take time to listen to the defective speech, for you help us to know that if we persevere we can be understood.
~ Blessed are those who walk with us in public places and ignore the stares of strangers for in your companionship we find havens of relaxation.
~ Blessed are those who never bid us “hurry up” and more blessed are you that do not snatch out tasks from our hands to do them for us, for often we need time rather than help.
~ Blessed are those who stand beside us as we enter new ventures, for our failures will be Outweighed by the times we surprise ourselves and you.
~ Blessed are those that ask for our help, for our greatest need is to be needed.
~ Blessed are those when by all these things you assure us that the thing that makes us individuals is not out peculiar muscles, nor our wounded nervous systems, but it is the God-given self that no infirmity can confine.
~ Blessed are those who realize that we are human and don’t expect us to be saintly just because we have a disability.
~ Blessed are those that pick things up without being asked.
~ Blessed are those who understand that sometimes I am weak and not just lazy.
~ Blessed are those who forget the disability of my body and see the shape of my soul.
~ Blessed are those who see me as a whole person, unique and complete and not as one of God’s mistakes.
~ Blessed are those who love me just as I am without wondering what I would ve been like.
~ Blessed are my friends upon whom I depend, for they are the substance and joy of my life!
By Majorie Chappell
The little man and I are standing in the checkout line at the grocery, there’s a customer ahead of me and I have no cart so I’m trying to put the groceries from my bag onto the conveyor belt and keep an antsy tired boy near me. The little man was leaning with his elbows on the conveyor belt, hands over ears, standing quietly and relatively still, he wasn’t even one foot behind me. The lady behind me was apparently in such a rush to get her groceries on the conveyor that she couldn’t be bothered to tap my shoulder and ask if I could get my son to move. Instead she put 2…yes 2…hands on his back and physically moved him. It took everything I had not to shank her with my keys for even touching my son.
I turned to her and told her ‘Don’t EVER put your hands on my kid again’.
She looked at me with a blank dumbfounded look on her face, like I’m crazy…how dare I say something to her, and said- ‘Well I asked him to move and he wouldn’t so I gently moved him’
Me- ‘He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t understand you, he has autism’
Her- ‘Well I asked him to move’
Me- ‘Again, I don’t care what you asked him, if you have an issue with MY son you can tell me, I’m 2 inches from him’
Just because I look like everyone else, doesn’t mean I am like everyone else!! <3
All she had to do was apologize somewhere in there…or even just stop talking, nope not this lady, she continuously defended her behavior…Apparently special needs or not, parent nearby or not, she feels it’s okay to put her grubby hands on my son. I don’t know about you, but if I have issue with a child or child’s behavior I’ll talk to the parents…it’s not my place to lecture, much less physically move, someone’s child. The thing people fail to realize…other than we are given common sense for a reason…is that an autism kiddo may look just like every other kid but that doesn’t mean they understand the same things other kids their age might understand…and regardless of a child’s level of understanding you take up any issues you have with a child with that child’s parents not with the child.
I’m a pro at ignoring peoples rude stares when we are out and about, ignoring the rude comments they make under their breath. I’m thankful I didn’t flip out, I didn’t raise my voice, I was much calmer than I thought I’d be if ever thrown in a sticky situation…but DON”T EVER PUT YOUR HANDS ON MY KIDS!! So…Am I crazy??? Would you have just let it go?
Our shenanigans were actually caused by a rude adult…which IMO is worse, at least a child can still be taught
This week I’m hanging out at Yeah Write’s hangout grid…have you stopped by and checked out all the awesomeness??
Borrowed from a friends FB…and I couldn’t agree more :)
Autism is:
Autism isn’t:
So…to sum up my mini rant….Autism is learning new creative ways to make sure our cuties learn, everything else is just parenting….remembering our kids are still kids and are perfect just the way they are, and LOVING them like CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And a final thought on being nonverbal, “Just because I have no words doesn’t mean I have nothing to say”.
