Tweet On Autism Twitter Day!

http://autismfamily.tumblr.com/post/62546682/autism-twitter-day-tuesday-dec-16th-pacific

http://autismfamiily.blogspot.com/

In the link are instructions on how to tag your Austism specific Tweet.

Also there is a contest, geared mostly toward young adults or children with Autism - prizes will be given!

Pass it on!!!

Mom, can you scatch my back?

I'm in the kitchen, making dinner and my son is sitting at the table doing his homework.  From time to time,  I pause to help him and check his progress.  He's starting to lag a bit and he knows it.  "Mom?  I need a break.  Can you scratch my back?"  I walk over, he puts his head down on his arms and I give him a good, but brief back-scratch.  Determination restored, he says "Thanks Mom" and continues with his work.

Some nights, after lights out - but I'm still up, I'll walk past his room and I'll hear a soft voice ask "Mom?  Will you scratch my back to make me sleepy?"  I walk in and he flops over onto his belly, all his numerous fleecy blankets in a jumbled nest around him.  Sitting on the side of his bed, the soft glow of his nightlight barely illuminates a face so sweet and perfect.  I begin to scratch his back and watch as his face relaxes even more toward sleep.  Finishing, I tuck his blankets up around his shoulders the way he likes and start to walk softly out of his room...behind me I hear his soft voice "Thanks Mom. Love you."

I love you too bubby...more than you will ever know.

Empathy...Its Not Just For Neurotypicals

My son recently had his second quarter report card come home.  In it, was this wonderful little note from his speech teacher:

'We have spent a great deal of time working on J's (social) language skills within the therapy setting.  We have continued to increase J''s awareness of his listeners.  He continues to understand and identify the "good listening skills" of his listeners so that he knows when they are listening to him.  J has become increasingly more aware of his peers' and the signs they show when they are listening to him.

In his increased awareness of his peers, J has been verbalizing his displeasure with another student in our group.  However, his is using excellent social language skills and he communicates his displeasure about her with me (his teacher).  J tells me that he doesn't want to "hurt her (feelings)" so he doesn't verbalize what she is doing to bother him.  We have been working on positive ways to communicate when he is bothered or upset in a nice way while being truthful.  I am pleased with J's working on this and how much more aware of his peers he has become.'

That's my boy...that is my gentleman.