Wednesday, January 21, 2009

I am sorry for the neglect...

It has been a crazy tumultuous transition point in life for me. Good thing I don't have autism or I may not be faring so well.

My boy is in the process of transitioning to High School...choosing classes, having his every 3 year Special Ed re-evaluation and also just had his 9th grade physical. Of course he had to get shots which he really doesn't appreciate and hasn't appreciated throughout his life :) When he got his shots this year, and he was balking and squirming and trying hard no to cooperate I was taken back to a time when he was much younger.

Before he went for his kindergarten physical I warned him of the upcoming shots and of course since he was excited about going to school I told him that you have to get your shots if you want to go to big boy school. And so he went. I also promised him that when he was done he could go to Kmart and pick out a toy to ease the pain. (Bribery worked well for me a few times when I had 3 young children). Anyway, Brennan got through his shots and was off to kindergarten. It took him about 2 days and one seat work assignment to realize that kindergarten was not for him. When he exceeded his frustration tolerance, which was most days, he just crumpled up the paper and threw it away. That seemed a viable solution for the boy. Anyway...the point of this story is...one day I distinctly recall driving him home from Kindergarten when he had a particularly difficult day. I remember him looking at me with those big green eyes and saying, "See Mom, I told you I shouldn't have gotten those shots."

To translate for families that don't relate to the literalism that Autism brings...

Since I told Brennan he had to have the shots if he wanted to go to school...his mind translated that to mean if he didn't get shots, he wouldn't have to go. So, he was convinced no shots...no school...all would have been well.

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