Yesterday was the first day of kindergarten. Frank is going to the same place he's gone to daycare since he was five months old. It's a full day, as opposed to our home district, which is only a half day. Also, this class has only 13 kids, and a teacher and an aide, whereas he could have 25 kids in his class at our local elementary school, and one teacher. We figured that, with the SPD and the fact that he won't be five for another two weeks, lots of attention would be good. Also, with the SPD and difficulty with transitions, this gives him another year to mature before we throw him in with a whole bunch of new kids.
He got a bit teary-eyed yesterday when I brought him to school. He told me on the way in that, "I hate new school years. I hate going to a new class. It's so stupid. I did fine in my old class." Well, you can't really fault his logic, I guess.
Much to my pleasure, the aide from his class last year is in his class this year. He saw her and yelled out her name and gave her a huge bear hug. That alone helped a bit, I think. I wonder if it was just a natural switching thigns around, so things don't get stale, or if the director switched her for Frank's sake. They've been awesome all along with all of his quirks, so I wouldn't put it past them.
Frank was and probably always will be the first to arrive in the morning, which can be difficult, because there was nothign to distract from the fact that OH MY GOD THIS IS A WHOLE NEW CLASSROOM AND NEW TEACHER. When this sawned on him, less than a minute after he'd hugged the aide, he began to weep and threw his arms around me. I picked him up and began to wander around the room, pointing things out to him. He eventually calmed down, and perked up when the teacher said casually, "Hey, Frank, let's turn on the computer." Frank loves to play games on the computer. He immediately slid down from me and ran and sat at the computer, where he and the teacher discussed games at his favorite websites.
I left after about a half hour there. I have first period off this year, which is nice, because I'm not as rushed in the mornings, so I could take the time to help him settle in. I called in mid-morning, and the teacher reassured me he was fine.
When I went to pick him up, he was exhausted. He was ornery adn cranky all evening, and went right down at bedtime. He woke around 6:30am this morning, which is late for him. Right now, it's ten minutes to eight at night, and I put him to bed around 7:15pm. He didn't complain. This new kindergarten routine must be exhausting!
So, all in all, the transitionhas gone well. I can now start to worry about first grade, next year, in a whole new school. That, my friends, is going to be the real culture shock.
So...how was your first day of school?
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
New School Year
Frank and I did some back-to-school shopping today, specifically, for clothing. (Note to self: Never ever do this on Labor Day again. Ever. It's like shopping for presents on December 23rd.) He's got plenty of t-shirts, but I was looking for long sleeved shirts. Target didn't seem to have much out yet, which is fine. But it occured to me while we were shopping that things I do as part of routine might seem odd to others.
For example, I picked up one long-sleeved shirt. I felt it, and then said to Frank, "Hey, how does this feel to you?" Most mothers would ask their child how the shirt looks. Frank truly does not care how a shirt looks. You could put anything on him, and so long as it covers his body, and doesn't itch, he's good. It doesn't have to match his pants, either. (He's started picking out his own clothing in the morning. The results have been interesting at times.)
He was very matter-of-fact about my question, too. He ran his fingers over the inside seam in the neck, and said, "Feels good to me." I bought the shirt in every color they had for this style, because, as the SPD parents all know, when you find something the kid approves, this is what you do.
Some brands of shirts, I can buy without him accompanying me, because I know from past sizes that they feel good to him. But new ones, I always have him approve for me, because the last thing I need is to be faced with, "I don't like that shirt- it itches!" on a school morning.
We had to skip OT last week, and will have to skip this week as well. I don't like doing that, but that's how it goes, I guess.
For example, I picked up one long-sleeved shirt. I felt it, and then said to Frank, "Hey, how does this feel to you?" Most mothers would ask their child how the shirt looks. Frank truly does not care how a shirt looks. You could put anything on him, and so long as it covers his body, and doesn't itch, he's good. It doesn't have to match his pants, either. (He's started picking out his own clothing in the morning. The results have been interesting at times.)
He was very matter-of-fact about my question, too. He ran his fingers over the inside seam in the neck, and said, "Feels good to me." I bought the shirt in every color they had for this style, because, as the SPD parents all know, when you find something the kid approves, this is what you do.
Some brands of shirts, I can buy without him accompanying me, because I know from past sizes that they feel good to him. But new ones, I always have him approve for me, because the last thing I need is to be faced with, "I don't like that shirt- it itches!" on a school morning.
We had to skip OT last week, and will have to skip this week as well. I don't like doing that, but that's how it goes, I guess.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Disney World!
We are back from Disney. Overall, it was a good trip. We did, however, hit some snafus along the way:
1. Sleeping arrangements. My mother in law (MIL) came with us. The way the suite was set up at Animal Kingdom Lodge- Kidani Village, we decided that Frank and MIL would sleep in the same room. MIL would have the queen-sized bed, and Frank would have the pull-out couch, which was far closer to the ground.
"Can't you take the mattress and put it on the floor?" the boy asked me. Um, no. There was not enough floor space to take the double-sized mattress and put it on the floor. The first night, he had a bit of a hard time sleeping, but by the second night, he was fine.
"I can't sleep without someone in here with me!" Yes, it was a different sleeping enviornment, with no night light, and different noises, and different shadows on the walls. Fortunately, I guess, we pretty well wore out Grandma each day, so she was perfectly happy to go to bed when Frank did. And we left the bathroom light on all night, which sufficed as a night light.
2. Meals: We booked a Character Breakfast the first morning we were there, and a Character Dinner close to the end of our trip. The dinner went over far better than the breakfast. The Character part, you see, was great both times, but Frank has only recently started eating many typical breakfast foods, so when I got him some Mickey-shaped waffles and a couple of pancakes, he took one look at them, and...
"I don't like these. They're different from mine."
Now, our plan that day was to eat, take the obligatory pictures, and then go right to a park for the morning. We were not going back to our room, and in any case, we did not have any food in our room. We got him to eat a bite or two of the waffle, even threatening him with, "If you do not eat that waffle, you are getting nothing until lunch, and it is a LONG time until then!" Yes, SPD parents, I know: very counterproductive.
I resorted to desperate measures: "Try a hash brown. They're like French fries and you can drown them in ketchup!" There was some hesitation, but he eventually tried one- SCORE! He liked it, and ate two. Okay, whatever, the kid ate something, let's go play.
Later that day, Darrel went food shopping and bought the neccessary supplies for the week: chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and frozen waffles. Oh, and tea bags for Mommy.
3. The Heat and Humidity: Frank takes after myself and my father's family in this regard. Father's Family does not handle heat well. At all. This, I assume, is why we always headed north to the Adirondacks during summers when I was a child. The first day at Disney, after walking from the parking lot, Frank began to whine about how hot it was, and he was sooo tired, and could we pleeeeease carry him? My husband and I are quick learners- we rented a stroller for him after that session. Best. Thing. Ever.
The kid still whined about how hoooot it was, mind you. But we didn't have to carry him while he did so.
I also ended up buying him an $18 fan/water squirty thing combo. He whined for four days how much he wanted it before I gave in, though. (That counts for something, right?)
All in all, he had a great time. Frank LOVES crazy roller coaster rides. This suits me just fine, because Darrel loves them, too, and now he has someone to go on these rides with. I do not do well on anything faster or more spinning than a Ferris Wheel. (Or Star Tours. I loved Star Tours. I suspect the Star Wars geekdom is strong enough to overcome the vertigo.) I get really bad vertigo. (Hmm...vestibular issues?) I am the one who's perfectly content much to the surprise of others, to hold everyone's stuff while the rest of my party goes on a ride. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? The boys went on it six times altogether. Star Tours- I think Frank went on it ten times altogether. The only big rides he did not go on at Disney were Space Mountain and Tower of Terror.
He also loved the characters. For those who have never been, most of the characters you meet are in costumes that make them between six and seven feet tall, which can be intimidating to some kids. Not to Mr Personality, though- he ran right up and hugged Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, et al. The characters in costumes do not talk, either, but they communicate very eloquently with gestures. (Well, at least to me- maybe it was easy for me to understand because of all the signing I do?) Frank would start up a "conversation" with the characters...continuing even after we'd taken his picture and the character was trying to inch away gracefully and go on to the next kid:
"Goofy, I really like the pizza here! I eat pizza now, do you know that? My favorite pizza is Hometown Pizza, but I like yours a lot! I ate three pieces of this pizza! Did you eat some, or do you just cook it? How many kids do you talk to every day? I saw Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Doald before! Do you remember me from breakfast?"
Darrel turned to me and said, "Only our kid could have a complete conversation with a character that does not talk back."
The trip home left a bit to be desired. Thanks to Hurricane Irene, we ended up driving home instead of flying. 20 hours in a car is more fun than any human should be allowed, trust me. We drove as far as Charlotte, NC, Sunday night, and crashed with my cousin and her family. this is the same cousin whose son and Frank were thick as thieves in Delaware, so they were delighted to have an impromptu sleepover. Then, we got up Monday morning and drove the rest of the way home, arriving at about 7pm that night.
I'm still exhausted. Darrel wants to go back in three years. I wonder if seven year olds can fit in those strollers.
1. Sleeping arrangements. My mother in law (MIL) came with us. The way the suite was set up at Animal Kingdom Lodge- Kidani Village, we decided that Frank and MIL would sleep in the same room. MIL would have the queen-sized bed, and Frank would have the pull-out couch, which was far closer to the ground.
"Can't you take the mattress and put it on the floor?" the boy asked me. Um, no. There was not enough floor space to take the double-sized mattress and put it on the floor. The first night, he had a bit of a hard time sleeping, but by the second night, he was fine.
"I can't sleep without someone in here with me!" Yes, it was a different sleeping enviornment, with no night light, and different noises, and different shadows on the walls. Fortunately, I guess, we pretty well wore out Grandma each day, so she was perfectly happy to go to bed when Frank did. And we left the bathroom light on all night, which sufficed as a night light.
2. Meals: We booked a Character Breakfast the first morning we were there, and a Character Dinner close to the end of our trip. The dinner went over far better than the breakfast. The Character part, you see, was great both times, but Frank has only recently started eating many typical breakfast foods, so when I got him some Mickey-shaped waffles and a couple of pancakes, he took one look at them, and...
"I don't like these. They're different from mine."
Now, our plan that day was to eat, take the obligatory pictures, and then go right to a park for the morning. We were not going back to our room, and in any case, we did not have any food in our room. We got him to eat a bite or two of the waffle, even threatening him with, "If you do not eat that waffle, you are getting nothing until lunch, and it is a LONG time until then!" Yes, SPD parents, I know: very counterproductive.
I resorted to desperate measures: "Try a hash brown. They're like French fries and you can drown them in ketchup!" There was some hesitation, but he eventually tried one- SCORE! He liked it, and ate two. Okay, whatever, the kid ate something, let's go play.
Later that day, Darrel went food shopping and bought the neccessary supplies for the week: chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and frozen waffles. Oh, and tea bags for Mommy.
3. The Heat and Humidity: Frank takes after myself and my father's family in this regard. Father's Family does not handle heat well. At all. This, I assume, is why we always headed north to the Adirondacks during summers when I was a child. The first day at Disney, after walking from the parking lot, Frank began to whine about how hot it was, and he was sooo tired, and could we pleeeeease carry him? My husband and I are quick learners- we rented a stroller for him after that session. Best. Thing. Ever.
The kid still whined about how hoooot it was, mind you. But we didn't have to carry him while he did so.
I also ended up buying him an $18 fan/water squirty thing combo. He whined for four days how much he wanted it before I gave in, though. (That counts for something, right?)
All in all, he had a great time. Frank LOVES crazy roller coaster rides. This suits me just fine, because Darrel loves them, too, and now he has someone to go on these rides with. I do not do well on anything faster or more spinning than a Ferris Wheel. (Or Star Tours. I loved Star Tours. I suspect the Star Wars geekdom is strong enough to overcome the vertigo.) I get really bad vertigo. (Hmm...vestibular issues?) I am the one who's perfectly content much to the surprise of others, to hold everyone's stuff while the rest of my party goes on a ride. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? The boys went on it six times altogether. Star Tours- I think Frank went on it ten times altogether. The only big rides he did not go on at Disney were Space Mountain and Tower of Terror.
He also loved the characters. For those who have never been, most of the characters you meet are in costumes that make them between six and seven feet tall, which can be intimidating to some kids. Not to Mr Personality, though- he ran right up and hugged Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, et al. The characters in costumes do not talk, either, but they communicate very eloquently with gestures. (Well, at least to me- maybe it was easy for me to understand because of all the signing I do?) Frank would start up a "conversation" with the characters...continuing even after we'd taken his picture and the character was trying to inch away gracefully and go on to the next kid:
"Goofy, I really like the pizza here! I eat pizza now, do you know that? My favorite pizza is Hometown Pizza, but I like yours a lot! I ate three pieces of this pizza! Did you eat some, or do you just cook it? How many kids do you talk to every day? I saw Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Doald before! Do you remember me from breakfast?"
Darrel turned to me and said, "Only our kid could have a complete conversation with a character that does not talk back."
The trip home left a bit to be desired. Thanks to Hurricane Irene, we ended up driving home instead of flying. 20 hours in a car is more fun than any human should be allowed, trust me. We drove as far as Charlotte, NC, Sunday night, and crashed with my cousin and her family. this is the same cousin whose son and Frank were thick as thieves in Delaware, so they were delighted to have an impromptu sleepover. Then, we got up Monday morning and drove the rest of the way home, arriving at about 7pm that night.
I'm still exhausted. Darrel wants to go back in three years. I wonder if seven year olds can fit in those strollers.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Two steps forward, one step back
I brought a bunch of fruits and vegetables today to OT. We had discussed this last week, and Frank went food shopping with me yesterday to get them, so he actually picked out a few things himself. He seemed pretty enthusiastic, and he's made a lot of progress recently, so I was cautiously optimistic.
We got him to try some baked potato. Through a lot of tears, whining, and throwing himself into my lap and hiding his face. "I...can't...I...don't...want...to! It scares me!"
I freely admit I was not in the best frame of mind today, anyway. I had a medical thing this morning (for details on that, you can check out my other blog, http://silverandgoldhealth.blogspot.com/). My brain is usually a little fuzzy after that, and I sometimes am cranky, too. These are normal reactions to IVIG infusions, so I'm not real worried about it, especially because they pretty well always disappear by the following morning. But, mental note: OT feeding sessions are generally not good to have right after IVIG.
So. D, the OT, did not seem at all surprised or concerned at today's lack of results. I, however, felt like my head was going to explode. I tried to be calm and encouraging, but after a while I just shut up and let D do all the talking. Really, what I wanted to do at that point was just get up and leave the two of them alone in the room- maybe that would have helped? I don't know, but I do know that Frank totally feeds off my moods quite often.
I've been kind of on a high recently with this. He's using the potty for everything, all day long! He's eating new foods! He's very articulate about thigns when they bother him, instead of melting down! He handles routine changes beautifully! We're gettin' it done! He's not going to be that weird kid in his class after all!
This evening, I am depressed about his future social prospects again.
We got him to try some baked potato. Through a lot of tears, whining, and throwing himself into my lap and hiding his face. "I...can't...I...don't...want...to! It scares me!"
I freely admit I was not in the best frame of mind today, anyway. I had a medical thing this morning (for details on that, you can check out my other blog, http://silverandgoldhealth.blogspot.com/). My brain is usually a little fuzzy after that, and I sometimes am cranky, too. These are normal reactions to IVIG infusions, so I'm not real worried about it, especially because they pretty well always disappear by the following morning. But, mental note: OT feeding sessions are generally not good to have right after IVIG.
So. D, the OT, did not seem at all surprised or concerned at today's lack of results. I, however, felt like my head was going to explode. I tried to be calm and encouraging, but after a while I just shut up and let D do all the talking. Really, what I wanted to do at that point was just get up and leave the two of them alone in the room- maybe that would have helped? I don't know, but I do know that Frank totally feeds off my moods quite often.
I've been kind of on a high recently with this. He's using the potty for everything, all day long! He's eating new foods! He's very articulate about thigns when they bother him, instead of melting down! He handles routine changes beautifully! We're gettin' it done! He's not going to be that weird kid in his class after all!
This evening, I am depressed about his future social prospects again.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Life and stuff
I didn't post about OT this week because life got in the way. My mother is in the hospital with pneumonia. She'll be discharged tomorrow, so she's doing much better. But for the first time in a while, I found myself focusing much more on another human than my child.
The child in question handles mild changes in routine pretty well. I have purposely established things regarding him to run in a similar manner but not the exact same routine every day. Like most kids with SPD, Frank thrives on routine. As D explained to me, when you have a routine, you know what sensory "assaults" are coming your way each day. You know when and how to "gird your loins", so to speak. When that routine changes, and especially without advance notice, it's disturbing, because you don't know what's coming your way.
Frank used to be much worse. During his evening routine, for example, first he had to have a bath, then get dressed, then get a story or two (from Daddy, not me), then brush teeth, then bed, and we had to always say the exact same things as we said good night to him. If you varied this routine even slightly, he freaked out. As D explained it, back in the day when I feared a diagnosis of SPD meant he had autism, "Generally speaking, autistic kids don't freak out at changes in routine bcause of their autism. They freak out because they have SPD, too."
The Vacation We Do Not Speak Of, from two years ago? He was miserable because he wasn't in his bed at night and naptime, and wasn't at his chair in his kitchen for meals, and these chicken nuggets didn't look like his at home, and when were we going home?
After discussing that in detail with D, and with my husband, we started changing things up. I started doing different routines at bedtime every night. I started having him sit in different chairs at the kitchen table to eat, and, once he outgrew his milk allergy, We started bringing him to McDonalds and Wendys, and stopped bringing a baggie of chicken nuggets from home everywhere we went- if it was a place like a diner, where I knew they'd serve chicken nuggets or chicken fingers, we started ordering those for him.
This went over with the boy, as my mother would say, like a fart in church. The first dozen or so times we tried to get him to eat Other Chicken, he had a hissy fit and refused to eat it. Frustrating, to be sure, but, really, I had expected no less from him.
He also disliked changes in bedtime routine. "NO! Brush teeth comes after story, not before!!" Such small things, but oh so important to him.
Anyway, in such small steps are changes made. Frank is pretty flexible about most changes in routine now. He knows by now that I and my husband have got his back, no matter what. We've even left him with a few babysitters a few times, babysitters who were Not Grandma, and he had a splendid time with someone new to play with.
Anyway, back to my original topic, when Mom called to say she was going to the hospital Tuesday night, while I waited for my husband to get home from work, I got Frank his dinner and got things organzied for the evening. I told him Mimi was sick and I was going to see her in the hospital as soon as Daddy got home. Even though I'm the one who handles most of his evening routine usually, because my husband works until after 7pm, this didn't seem to faze him at all. And the times I've left for a few hours, or taken him, to visit my mother didn't seem to faze him, either.
He's much calmer about changes now than he was two years ago, or even one year ago. I am hoping this continues when we go to Disney!
The child in question handles mild changes in routine pretty well. I have purposely established things regarding him to run in a similar manner but not the exact same routine every day. Like most kids with SPD, Frank thrives on routine. As D explained to me, when you have a routine, you know what sensory "assaults" are coming your way each day. You know when and how to "gird your loins", so to speak. When that routine changes, and especially without advance notice, it's disturbing, because you don't know what's coming your way.
Frank used to be much worse. During his evening routine, for example, first he had to have a bath, then get dressed, then get a story or two (from Daddy, not me), then brush teeth, then bed, and we had to always say the exact same things as we said good night to him. If you varied this routine even slightly, he freaked out. As D explained it, back in the day when I feared a diagnosis of SPD meant he had autism, "Generally speaking, autistic kids don't freak out at changes in routine bcause of their autism. They freak out because they have SPD, too."
The Vacation We Do Not Speak Of, from two years ago? He was miserable because he wasn't in his bed at night and naptime, and wasn't at his chair in his kitchen for meals, and these chicken nuggets didn't look like his at home, and when were we going home?
After discussing that in detail with D, and with my husband, we started changing things up. I started doing different routines at bedtime every night. I started having him sit in different chairs at the kitchen table to eat, and, once he outgrew his milk allergy, We started bringing him to McDonalds and Wendys, and stopped bringing a baggie of chicken nuggets from home everywhere we went- if it was a place like a diner, where I knew they'd serve chicken nuggets or chicken fingers, we started ordering those for him.
This went over with the boy, as my mother would say, like a fart in church. The first dozen or so times we tried to get him to eat Other Chicken, he had a hissy fit and refused to eat it. Frustrating, to be sure, but, really, I had expected no less from him.
He also disliked changes in bedtime routine. "NO! Brush teeth comes after story, not before!!" Such small things, but oh so important to him.
Anyway, in such small steps are changes made. Frank is pretty flexible about most changes in routine now. He knows by now that I and my husband have got his back, no matter what. We've even left him with a few babysitters a few times, babysitters who were Not Grandma, and he had a splendid time with someone new to play with.
Anyway, back to my original topic, when Mom called to say she was going to the hospital Tuesday night, while I waited for my husband to get home from work, I got Frank his dinner and got things organzied for the evening. I told him Mimi was sick and I was going to see her in the hospital as soon as Daddy got home. Even though I'm the one who handles most of his evening routine usually, because my husband works until after 7pm, this didn't seem to faze him at all. And the times I've left for a few hours, or taken him, to visit my mother didn't seem to faze him, either.
He's much calmer about changes now than he was two years ago, or even one year ago. I am hoping this continues when we go to Disney!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Two weeks
That's how long it's been since he's had an accident.
He still hasn't pooped in the toilet at school, though, so I fear it's only a matter of time.
He's ceased complaining about pain when he uses the toilet, and I have not put any Miralax in his food in...hm, six weeks, maybe? I really think my intial theory was correct- he was complaining that it hurt to poop in the toilet, but didn't hurt to poop in his diaper, because the different angle felt strange to him, and he misinterpreted that strangeness as pain.
He tried a sugar cookie today. He was kind of excited about it, too. The sugar cookies I bought are plain, beige cookies. Beige to him has come to equal tolerable food in some ways. Beige does not have little surprise bits in it, like chocolate chips. He bit into the cookie, and burst into tears.
"I don't like it!"
I tried to get him to finish that cookie, but he was a mess. When I got him calmed down, he was able to tell me, "It's too sugary!"
My son is a salt fiend. The only thing with sugar that goes into his body on a regular basis is apple juice. So, while I was a bit disappointed, I wasn't all that shocked.
D, his OT, says she wants to get him to eat a cupcake- not the icing, but the cake part. Cupcakes are a huge part of social things for kids his age, and kids will start to notice soon that he eats differently, and, as we know, kids can be so cruel. I still want him to eat fruits and veggies, but, honestly, as someone who was picked on for virtually her entire schooling years, I agree with D; anything that will lessen the chances of him being an easy target for bullying is really a splendid idea in my book.
He still hasn't pooped in the toilet at school, though, so I fear it's only a matter of time.
He's ceased complaining about pain when he uses the toilet, and I have not put any Miralax in his food in...hm, six weeks, maybe? I really think my intial theory was correct- he was complaining that it hurt to poop in the toilet, but didn't hurt to poop in his diaper, because the different angle felt strange to him, and he misinterpreted that strangeness as pain.
He tried a sugar cookie today. He was kind of excited about it, too. The sugar cookies I bought are plain, beige cookies. Beige to him has come to equal tolerable food in some ways. Beige does not have little surprise bits in it, like chocolate chips. He bit into the cookie, and burst into tears.
"I don't like it!"
I tried to get him to finish that cookie, but he was a mess. When I got him calmed down, he was able to tell me, "It's too sugary!"
My son is a salt fiend. The only thing with sugar that goes into his body on a regular basis is apple juice. So, while I was a bit disappointed, I wasn't all that shocked.
D, his OT, says she wants to get him to eat a cupcake- not the icing, but the cake part. Cupcakes are a huge part of social things for kids his age, and kids will start to notice soon that he eats differently, and, as we know, kids can be so cruel. I still want him to eat fruits and veggies, but, honestly, as someone who was picked on for virtually her entire schooling years, I agree with D; anything that will lessen the chances of him being an easy target for bullying is really a splendid idea in my book.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Big Boy Bed
When Frank was about two and a half, we took him out of the crib. He was getting entirely too big for it, and I feared, the way he jumped around in it, that he would break it. We had set up the Big Boy Bed (BBB) in his room, but he flat out refused to use it. "I'm not big enough for it yet," he said. I set the crib mattress on the floor in his room...and he's slept there ever since, on the floor, next to his bed. When we go away, we have to pull the mattress off one of the beds and put it on the floor. We've never flown anywhere with him before, so we've had the luxury of being able to bring all his "buddies" (stuffed animals) that he sleeps with along on any trips we've gone on. And there are a lot of buddies...I think right now there's about 15 of them.
Anyway, the crib mattress is starting to show some wear and tear. And Frank's legs are starting to hang off the end. He'll willingly lie down on the BBB for story time, or to pretend to sleep, but lights out at night, and the door closes, he has to be on the crib mattress on the floor. I've explained to him how he's growing, and soon he won't be able to fit on the mattress any more, and he keeps saying that "someday" he'll use the BBB.
Tonight I spent some time talking about it. He kept trying to change the subject, but I kept pressing him. We went in his room, turned the light out, and laid down, and I asked him how does the BBB feel? How does it smell? How do things look from up there? How does your body feel up there? Each thing he told me, I explained why that was different from the mattress: The sheets on the bed are new, and haven't been washed much yet, so they feel a bit rough. The BBB makes different noises than the mattress does when you move around on it. It smells differently up there because his head hasn't laid on that pillow that often- let's put the buddies up there and see if that helps. (It did.)
He didn't like talking about all this, and told me he doesn't like it when we "force [him] to do something different." I explained to him that sometimes we have to do things that are different, and they just take some getting used to. I told him we know and understand that he has a hard time with doing some things that are different, that his brain works a little differently than others, and that it's mine and Darrel's jobs to teach him how to deal with that. He didn't say much.
I think sometimes I maybe talk too much, that because he has a really sophisitcated vocabulary for his age, and catches onto things really quickly, that I can talk as if he's much older than he is. I'm not sure how much he understands when I babble on at him like that. I guess at some point he'll start to understand and process fully when I explain stuff like this to him.
In the meantime, i really hope he starts using the BBB soon, before I have to force the issue and take the mattress away from him!
Anyway, the crib mattress is starting to show some wear and tear. And Frank's legs are starting to hang off the end. He'll willingly lie down on the BBB for story time, or to pretend to sleep, but lights out at night, and the door closes, he has to be on the crib mattress on the floor. I've explained to him how he's growing, and soon he won't be able to fit on the mattress any more, and he keeps saying that "someday" he'll use the BBB.
Tonight I spent some time talking about it. He kept trying to change the subject, but I kept pressing him. We went in his room, turned the light out, and laid down, and I asked him how does the BBB feel? How does it smell? How do things look from up there? How does your body feel up there? Each thing he told me, I explained why that was different from the mattress: The sheets on the bed are new, and haven't been washed much yet, so they feel a bit rough. The BBB makes different noises than the mattress does when you move around on it. It smells differently up there because his head hasn't laid on that pillow that often- let's put the buddies up there and see if that helps. (It did.)
He didn't like talking about all this, and told me he doesn't like it when we "force [him] to do something different." I explained to him that sometimes we have to do things that are different, and they just take some getting used to. I told him we know and understand that he has a hard time with doing some things that are different, that his brain works a little differently than others, and that it's mine and Darrel's jobs to teach him how to deal with that. He didn't say much.
I think sometimes I maybe talk too much, that because he has a really sophisitcated vocabulary for his age, and catches onto things really quickly, that I can talk as if he's much older than he is. I'm not sure how much he understands when I babble on at him like that. I guess at some point he'll start to understand and process fully when I explain stuff like this to him.
In the meantime, i really hope he starts using the BBB soon, before I have to force the issue and take the mattress away from him!
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