33. Coherence and Comprehension...

As I previously mentioned, Robert is my five year old, autistic son. He is rarely verbal and has limited comprehension, or so we believe. Robert loves things that spin and fast moving things, like ceiling fans, so much that he is obsessed with them. There is a reason for this. The scientific explanation is that autistic children see movement much faster than typical individuals.
Robert constantly asks me to “Make the fan spin faster” in my room. I am tired of doing it because I want to stop his obsession and it makes my bedroom very cold. The second reason is not as important as the first.

Robert walks into my bedroom this morning and says, “Mom, make the fan spin faster.” This means I have to put it on its highest setting.

“I’m sorry honey, no,” I respond quietly, knowing what’s coming.

“MOM, MAKE THE FAN SPIN FASTER, PLEASE,” he screams and pleads.

“I’m sorry, no,” I respond as I look away.

Robert begins to throw a tantrum by crying, stomping his feet, and screaming, “Please, please, please make the fan spin faster”. Ignoring the screaming goes against everything we have been taught to do as parents, but I know it works, so I continue to ignore him.

Robert’s screaming and crying increases so much that I can’t hear myself think. I wanted to say “Screw it” and give in, but I didn’t.

This, by the way, is breaking my heart. It takes all my willpower to not give in, but I know it is for his own good. It is important to desensitize him to all “spinning” things.

Finally I looked at him and I said, “Robert, look at me.”

Robert immediately looks at me, “You don’t always get everything you want,” I say quietly, knowing in my heart that he doesn’t understand what I say, but praying he did.

He looks at me and quietly responds, “But I want to get everything.”

I got my answer people! We are getting played by Robert. He does have the comprehension, he just chooses when to use it. Quite a coherent thought being expressed by the little booger!

Five minutes later he stops screaming. Later in the day he comes to me, “Mom, please make the fan spin faster. Don’t say no.”

“I’m sorry honey, no fan today.”

He looks at me, smiles and says, “Mom, tickle me.”

I obliged.

32. Techie..

I bought the boys Kindle Fires as Christmas presents. I couldn't wait until Christmas, so I gave the boys their Kindles.

Robert can already maneuver his Kindle Fire and his videos like no tomorrow. I have trouble with it and I've been working on it for two days. I showed him O N E time how to start, stop a video, how to go to the home page and choose another.

HE IS AMAZING! (yes, I am biased).

Michael is struggling with his, but he is slowly learning. Grandma found Michael, yes Michael not Robert hitting his pad because he didn't know how to make it play after I showed him a few times.

My little kid is amazing. NOW, if he can take this brain and use it in class we'd be in heaven.

31. No way mom...

I pointed to my facebook profile photo and I asked Robert, "Robbie, what is that?"

He repeated, "What is that?"

I was disappointed because I thought, 'he doesn't understand'.

So I said to him, "That is a tiger."

"No, it's not," says Robert.

"Yes, it's a white tiger," I respond, my heart breaking, again trying to make him understand.

"No, it's not," he insists, "it's a leopard."

WHAT????

I thought he didn't understand me and he CORRECTED ME???

He's right. It's a white leopard, not a tiger.

I'm a genius.

30. Explanation...

Something great happened in the car on my way home from autism school.

Robert had one of those rubber poppers. It looks like half a ball, you push down in the middle and it pops up in the air.

Anyway, Robert says, "Mom, look at this."

I turn around and look at him.

"You..." (he gestures putting the top down)... "and it pops up in the air."

"You push it down and it pops up in the air?" I asked.

"Yes," he responds.

I know this is nothing, but it is the first time he has described something to me. He didn't know how to say "push down", but it's good enough for me.

Yay!