Wordy Wednesday # 7
Ms. Wordless Wednesday cuts straight to the chase,
…….
“see! I'm not even going to bother this time Maddy,
go on,
just tell me all about it?”
“Golly, how gracious of you.”
“I get the picture, bad picture at that. I'm gonna get you that book 'Photography for Dummies.'”
“Your generosity overwhelms me, as always.”
“So what am I looking at then?”
“You tell me.”
“I can't.”
“Yes, you can, you're getting good at this now.”
“Well, I can't. I don't know your kids well enough and anyway they are a bit……er…….different.”
“I know what you mean but in this particular instance he's not being different he's being ordinary.”
“Is that supposed to help?”
“It's just a little hint to point you in the right direction.”
“Fine. Let me see. Well he has the mouth thing of course.”
“Well spotted. You remembered. When he's concentrating his mouth goes slack. Lip closure, or lack of it, is always a dead give away.”
“So he's concentrating on a…..what is that thing anyways?”
“Just an ordinary toy.”
“Ah! Got it. He's perseverating.”
“Nearly. I'm impressed. Perhaps I should have given you a ‘before’ and after picture?”
“Hang on a minute. There's a before? You're playing tricks with me. No fair!”
“You're right of course, but I didn't have a chance to do a 'before' picture and it would have been an even worse picture.”
“O.k. So what would the 'before' picture have been?”
“Major meltdown.”
“Not pretty? Probably just as well you skipped the 'before' then.”
“I thought so.”
“So what was he having a meltdown about? Do I really want to know come to think of it?”
“You don't want to know, and really it doesn't really matter, that's not the point.”
“What is the point?”
“The point, is that the meltdown passed. He calmed himself down.”
“So that's him calmed down right?”
“Exactly, or rather in the process of calming down, calming himself down in fact.”
“New toy?”
“Old toy, rediscovered.”
“The toy is magic?”
“Might as well be, but not really. It's just that we get all wound up sometimes, into a bit of a tizzy. We all need to learn how to calm ourselves down again. It doesn't really matter how any of us do it, just that we learn what works for us.”
“And that works for him? Watching those little coloured bubble things floating up and down?”
“Yes. Well……yes at the moment. It works at the moment but it might not work tomorrow or next week.”
“Bit like one of those Lava Lamps from the 70's?”
“You're showing your age dearie!”
“Oops! Still, progress nonetheless right? See I can use those English words too!”
“Indeed you can, and so eruditely.”
“Don't show off now!”
“As if?”
“O.k. so that's all for now huh?”
“Yes, lots of 'om' thoughts.”
“You kill me, you really do.”
“Ommmmmm!”
November 21st, 2007 at 12:50 am
That’s the best—I was very glad when Charlie learned to self-calm, by wrapping a big fleece blanket rough himself. Who needs Wordless Wednesday—your photos are all gems, every day.
November 21st, 2007 at 2:31 am
Self calming, excellent. C has yet to master this.
November 21st, 2007 at 3:21 am
I am hopeless at self calming so when a child can do it I am extremely impressed.
Proud to say that I am not an Oprah watcher – oh I could be an Oprah watcher but I know that if I ever do start down that slippery slope i am a goner. Blogging is addictive enough!
November 21st, 2007 at 3:28 am
Self calming YAY!
November 21st, 2007 at 5:38 am
Oh self calming!
I am very lucky that he knows (and I do as well) that if he goes to a quiet and closed in spot he can calm himself easily.
November 21st, 2007 at 5:52 am
Yay for self-calming. Patrick recently, at school anyway, has started putting his head in his hands and blocking everything out. A minute of that then he comes back calm. They were amazed and so am I!
November 21st, 2007 at 7:40 am
That’s a great he’s doing well with the self calming. I also envy that your cat puts up with being handled by the kids. My cat, sets a landspeed record every time he smells a child.
November 21st, 2007 at 7:47 am
Toys really are magic. Your cat looks like he really trusts his little human friend.
So cute.
November 21st, 2007 at 7:50 am
That’s great! My son throws himself on the ground and says he’s “dead” to self calm — after a while he gets up and is fine. Although I suspect the use of the word “dead” means playdates with yours would be a bad idea.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:33 am
That is huge!
We’re still working on self regulation. I totally sympathize with knowing that what works today, almost will definately not work tomorrow!
November 21st, 2007 at 9:04 am
Kitty looks as though she has learned to calm herself also…
Love you
Suzy
November 21st, 2007 at 10:24 am
ahhhh… someday, there is hope some day… When Moosie needs something, he seeks it out, does what he needs to, and he’s good to go. Bubba, the older one, he niether knows WHEN he needs to self-regulate or HOW to do it. And then it festers and builds until he explodes. It is a slow slow process, and what helps him one day doesn’t work and may very well backfire the next. You give me hope!
November 21st, 2007 at 11:31 am
That’s wonderful! Have yourself something to celebrate
.
November 21st, 2007 at 1:20 pm
hey,
Thanks for visting my blog, appreciated.
Not sure what was going on in your post, but sure when I read more I will catch up soon enough.:)
take care:)
November 21st, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Well, progress! I’d like to slink into that tunnel behind him, myself.
November 21st, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I thought I was the only wordy wednesday
And oh yes, HURRAY for self-calming!
November 21st, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Anytime a mother is not required to get involved in something she has absolutely no power or control over is a GOOD thing!
November 21st, 2007 at 7:02 pm
I love the picture of the cat. Very patient cat! Self calming is very important for health.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Like your writing style! And I learned a few things as well, thanks!
And HyVee (at JameeForever)? That’s our major grocery store chain! Happy Thanksgiving
November 21st, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Sorry. I’m kind of stuck on Lava Lamps. It came out in the 70s? I didn’t see them till the early 90s.
Self calming tactics? Hmmm. I think I’ll try that.
I’m glad he’s able to calm himself. Celebrate those moments.
November 21st, 2007 at 9:44 pm
love your posts.
Each day is an adventure
November 21st, 2007 at 10:11 pm
You’re the designated Queen of Dialog.
Self-calming works for me too, deep breathing when I’m upset and all that.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:14 pm
I need me one of those magic toys! I could use some self-calming! Thanks for great dialog – to cute and very informative. Have a great Thanksgiving and see you soon. Kellan
November 22nd, 2007 at 12:02 am
Hi Maddy,
Thanks for your very meaningful comments on my post at World United Bloggers. I’m so impressed by your work in helping and taking care of autistic kids. God bless you for your very noble endeavors of helping the least privileged sector of our society. Have a beautiful and fantastic day.
November 22nd, 2007 at 5:19 am
Self-calming! WOOT!
Such a lovely boy. Loves his kitty? Rosie adores hers. I’m just glad he adores her too! LOL
November 22nd, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Those eyes just kill me
November 23rd, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Now THAT is something to be thankful for!
It gives me hope, too, for the day when Nik can calm himself. Sigh…
November 25th, 2007 at 1:04 am
a cuddle with joker works for our boy. the only problem is he can’t take him to school…