When Special Interest become obsessive in children with Aspergers Syndrome

Special interests are great but sometimes pose a problem!

Its fantastic when your child diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome has a special interest, one he/she can focus positive attention, gain enjoyment from and importantly, learn from. 

Little man, has always had a special interest in transport and although this often skips between trains, buses and the London underground, it always remains within this area. 

Little man also enjoys Lego since discovering how much fun it can be, this has become an additional interest of his. Though it should be noted that he does incorporate his special interest of the above, within his Lego play. He spends lots of time creating new models of transport, whether it’s a bus or a train, he could be there for hours. 

This however isn’t a problem, though his special interest in transport did reach the point of extremely excessive a year or so ago when he was back in mainstream school.

 I found Little man was constantly mimicking the transport announcements that he had studied and memorised to a perfection! He was also intensely interested in the mechanisms of transport, especially that of the bus doors. He would use his hands to act out the opening and closing motion and spent hours beeping, so much so that I could hear it in my sleep! No matter where we were, if little man saw sliding windows or doors, he would head straight for them, sliding them open and closed as to recreate the same motion of the doors on the bus. I remember visiting his doctor at CAMHS for an emergency appointment which had been organised because of the trouble he was having in school, his low self-esteem, the anger it was creating, along with a whole host of other issues which resulted from such difficulties. He spent the whole appointment sliding the windows of her office open, before bashing them back together in a loud distracting manner. His doctor could hear the beeping sounds he was making as-well as the monotone voice he put on as he mimicked the announcements normally heard when on a bus! Right there and then she drew the conclusion that his special interest had become somewhat extreme, and if such behaviour was getting in the way of life, it was time to limit it. 

This may seem, to some, an extreme thing to do! Why stop him from doing something that clearly makes him happy (after all, he was having the most horrid time in school). The thing with Aspergers Syndrome and special interest, is that these interest can actually restrict interest and focus in all other areas in life. Basically, his interest in transport had reached a point where he could no longer focus his attention on anything else! It was clear to see that this had become much worse since things had could hugely down hill at school, that lead his doctor to believe that as-well as engaging in his obsessions because he enjoyed them, he had also started using them as a coping mechanism. Not only this, we also established that the opening and closing of doors and windows, or just the hand mimicking actions he was displaying literally all of the time was also providing him with some degree of sensory stimulation, he was sensory seeking! 

 I found that during the course of that year, we spent more time riding on buses than I likely had in my 20 odd years off living! To some degree this had its  advantages, not only did the bus drivers know us by name, often allowing us to indulge his love for free (I’m guessing they guessed this activity was costing me a small fortune, plus it wasn’t hard to work out, that Little man, wasn’t your “Typical child”) but I also found this to be a good reward system, no good behaviour, no riding the buses! Of course when this happened, a meltdown on a huge scale would follow,and although I admittedly caved on a few occasions, I largely remained consistent, which is obviously that best way to be

 Little man did some amazing talented things during the course of that year, he could basically tell you where any bus was heading in London, doing so with such acuity. Although he had always been pretty good at this, it was now on a whole new level! My son was able to tell us what bus was destining for where, despite never having been on some of these bus before!

 It was incredibly hard to take the doctor’s advice and over time, limit the time he spent on this interest. This itself took strength a whole bucket load of the stuff. I used to find him wandering around the house at 4 am beeping away, worse he would be unravelling the toilet tissue around the house as to create a route for his imaginary buses to follow. I could lead him back to bed, but I couldn’t always keep him there, I couldn’t switch his mind off his interest, he’ll just lay there in the dead of night, recalling hundreds of buses and destinations from memory.

 It was only after he started his new special school for children with autism and aspergers and his discovery of the Lego brick, that I finally saw a dramatic decrease in these behaviours! OK, despite Melatonin of a night, his still up till the early hours, and of course he still beeps and has a run through of bus numbers, but it’s nowhere near on the same level it once was.

 The Lego gave him a distraction and another form of sensory play, while his growing confidence in himself as a result of his new-found happiness at school, are the reasons behind this reduction. 

 Little man’s interest in transport will likely always be his special interest, and probably that bit more obsessive than most people’s interest. However, now it is manageable and I couldn’t be happier with this!

  I even got asked by the bus driver last week, if all was OK because he hadn’t seen us for a while… Result! 

 

10 positives to parenting a child with Aspergers Syndrome

Having posted a post full of doom and gloom a few days back (Questioning your coping mechanisms) I wanted to post something a tad more upbeat and cheery today.

So… with this in mine, I have created a list of the top ten best things that come with parenting a child with Aspergers Syndrome. Yes, its full of them quirky little traits I love and the reasons while I just couldn’t live without them.

(1) HONESTY: Now don’t believe everything you read, a child with Aspergers can tell the odd porky pie, why? Because they are intelligent and learn how to do such a thing! However, 99% of the time you will find that your child, friend or family relative on the autism spectrum is indeed extremely honest! Little man speaks his mind and although this may have gotton him into the odd spot of bother (example… telling the head teacher at his old school that his breath smelt similar to that of a dog) it’s also a credit to him. When little man tells you something that sounds like it is the stuff of make believe, you’ll likely be surprised to find that… yes it’s actually true!

(2) SPECIAL INTEREST: When your child has a diagnosis such as Aspergers, you’ll find that

Image via Wikipedia

with that title comes that of the ‘Special interest’ and if like little man, that special interest happens to be London Transport… you’ll never miss a train or a bus again!

(3) EYE FOR A BARGIN: When out food shopping with the Little man, there is a high prospect that the breakout of a meltdown may occur (what with the crowds and the tendency to become over stimulated). I try my best to keep the Little man calm and focused by getting him to help me with the shopping list! Here’s the great thing… I never end up out of pocket due to purchasing offers that secretly are not really offers at all! Little man has the tendency to act like a human calculator. I remember going to buy a bottle of coke that had so much free and at what I considered to be a good price! That was in-till my Little Man informed me that actually by buying the two smaller bottles I’d end up with more litres for less money… Clever lad!

(4) RULE BOUND: When Little man recently took a trip with a friend to the little row of shops around the corner from our house he went knowing the golden rule, “Cross at the traffic lights and only at the traffic lights!” When his friend tried to persuade him to cross the main road without the safety of the lights, little man refused and came back home! That’s my boy!

Image via Wikipedia

(5) YOUNG & BUSINESS MINDED: Many children at eleven are not sat for hours, days, weeks or years even, planing their business empire! Well, Little man is… ambition: To be the next Richard Branson (not a bad ambition for an 11-year-old kid, is it)? My little man already has a name for his brand and plans how he will take the world by force on a daily basis… Watch this space!

Image via CrunchBase

(6) TAKES A SHINE TO YOUR VAX: No… Not Fax, though I’m sure if I had one he would love it! I mean, ‘VAX’ a brand of vacuum cleaner. Oh… Yes, I can just see all them parents of children on the autism spectrum nodding their heads at speed because yes, the child with Aspergers Syndrome does have a tendency to like household gadgets or items considered odd by peers of the same age! Why is this a good thing? Well, what other 11-year-old do you know who offers to hover the living room and stairs for you on a daily basis? What a great job he makes of it too!

(7) HAVING A LAY IN: OK, OK my son isn’t the best at going to bed and falling a sleep of a night, he often struggles till 3am or later even with the use of Melatonin (natural sleeping medication) however when his head hits the pillow he refuses to move it and after a late one making sure he gets of to sleep, I deserve a lay-in! (NOT GREAT ON SCHOOL DAY, JUST WEEKENDS)!

(8) PERFECTIONIST: Not always a good thing, especially when it means they refuse to do school work as they feel they just can’t do a good job of the task at hand so outrightly refuse to try at all. Nonetheless when the child is passionate about something, they do a mighty good job of it, making the parent a very proud one (I have some amazing pictures of little man’s LEGO creations).

(9) MANNERS: Little man has huge problems with his use of swearing and at times I’m dead embarrassed when out and about a meltdown breaks out which often starts with some really offensive obscenities. Yet, when the Little man is polite and his engaged in a conversation of interest or sat talking to the elderly lady on the bus, his manners are outstanding and many comment how proud I must be 🙂 Put it this way… My son has never got of a bus without thanking the driver, always holds doors open for little old ladies and once offered FOR ME to carry someone’s shopping to their car at Tesco!

(10) AMAZING MEMORY: Little man may not have the best short-term memory especially when asking him to fetch his dirty washing or find his shoes, but when something interests him he gathers the facts surrounding the topic and stores them away safely. It is truly amazing that Little man can tell you where almost every bus in London is destining for just by giving him its number!

Image via Wikipedia

Related articles

• Things the whole family can do this half term (aspergersinfo.wordpress.com)
• A week in Little man’s shoes (aspergersinfo.wordpress.com)
• Asperger’s Syndrome and ADHD (everydayhealth.com)
• Guest Post, Aspergers: A holistic experience (aspergersinfo.wordpress.com)
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Why I organised a Lewisham riot clean up

 The Great british public wave their flags and sing the national anthem during an exciting world cup football match.

Many feel proud to be British when our good troops leave for war in Afghanistan.

Many Brits celebrated the long extended weekend of the Royal wedding by getting drunk and partying their arse off at one of the many street parties.

The above are all prime examples of how Brits come together to celebrate and display their British roots.

 This was a nation that came together when the horrific scenes of flying debris and screaming, hysterical London commuters hit our television screens on the 07/07/2005. Yes, a time where most descended into a nation of morning when the life’s of 52 people were so crawly claimed by the London terrorist attack that Simultaneously injured another 700 people in the explosions on three London underground trains and one London Double Decker bus.

 We, were a nation that stood united, these in our society didn’t choose to go looting for top of the range computer games and trainers. Plasma TVs remained safely fixed upon the walls in which they belonged.

A heart-breaking, soul-destroying turn of events that left our nation and the rest of the world in bits is an example of how the British come together in times of dismay.

 Yet, here we are that very same nation, with very different morals.

 Our country was put on alert for a possible terrorist attack, we were deemed, high risk!

 We would need to see action, plans brought to the table so to speak! Yet, what was about to commence was a very different turn of events! With the man who has been grunted the power to run our country indulging on a holiday, to which I’m purely guessing was some place hot, expensive and free from suspected terrorist alerts, and that of our lovely London mayor on the missing too (another lucky man on holiday, maybe he joined the PM) I for one couldn’t even contemplate taking such a threat seriously, how could I if the PM was sunning himself aboard?

Well, given our history, I assumed that the great British public would come together as one, as they had always done so! We would get each-other through it, what ever happened.

  Then something happen… Buildings were douched in petrol or alcohol, quickly converted into an inferno of fierce red flames that took their grip letting of thick black smoke that rose into the skies of London causing a fog of darkness! Cars were burnt on the roadside, high street shop windows broken, debris covering the streets like a huge blanket.

Though this wasn’t a terror attack, this was something else all together! The London riots were a result of our own people, young and old, black and white. Yes, there may have been reasons for the Tottenham riots but we were now seeing behaviours of such disgust for no other reasons than pure yobbery and greed. Peoples homes, business and vehicles set a blaze for what? What did it prove,what was gained from it? Many parts of the country now display an array of boards that replace windows, some were replaced that same day, others remain the same as the cost for replacements can’t be met.

I try to teach my children never to steal, yet they have now been showed that despite it being such a bad thing to engage in, many will steal and in such a violent and disrespectful way! It just doesn’t help when the police can be seen watching but not intervening through no fault of their own but those who gave such instructions . The supermarket across the road from our house was being looted from 10.pm till 6. am  in the morning and this caused all three children to get very little sleep, due to not only the noise but the sheer fear of what was happening around them.

 Such behaviours displayed by rioters are scary, many young children felt fear as the riots went full swing, yet there are some children that didn’t feel this way as some as young as 11 if not younger, were reported to be rioting and looting, some seen in the papers with supermarket baskets hung from the handle bars of their little BMX bikes. Little man didn’t cope well with the horror that was unfolding on our tv sets and outside our very door. His anxiety levels are already high and this just added to it. I tried to keep him from hearing too much, in-order to protect him, however as his mother I knew I couldn’t keep him from hearing the horrors that are taking place in the world he lives in! He sees things on the TV and can easily get hold of a newspaper. He maybe on the spectrum but he has Aspergers and is pretty intelligent but sadly highly anxious.

My Little man also has a range of sensory processing difficulties. He can’t drowned out background noise like some can, certain sounds can interfere with his mental well-being, causing him stress and even pain. During  day three of the riots that were taking place in south London Lewisham, as they were many other areas across the country, we saw our local supermarket being looted throughout the duration of the night. Little man didn’t only have difficulties disconnecting his mind from the fears of the events he had seen or read about, but worse was his inability to filter out certain sounds so when the supermarket was looted the noise that was caused by the store security alarm drove him absolutely insane to the point of angry over exhausted sobs.

 I spent most of the early hours venting my anger on Twitter, (followers were great support, managing to keep me from the blink of madness). It was while on Twitter I noticed the Twitter hash tag, ‘#riotcleanup’ I noticed that my area was lacking support so I decided to struck up some kind of group made up of volunteers for a Lewisham cleanup. I used the hash tag #lewishamriotcleanup and set of on a mini mission all alone.

 To be 100% honest I don’t know what I was expecting to come of it. In a way I didn’t expect anybody to listen to me to the degree that they did. I really did think, deep down that I’d be lucky to get a few re-tweets maybe the whole of the Local community were asleep in bed, (well, those not rioting and looting) given it was at least 3am when I first embanked on the riot clean up campaign. Yet, I should have known better that myself and little man would not be the only ones being kept awake by shouting, fighting, banging, smashing glass or even that of annoying store alarms that were set of throughout the entire night, ” Oh yes, the alarm was going off from 10 p.m. till around 6.30 am when the greedy takers had stopped taking, correction… I mean stealing!

 I put my iPhone on the bedside table and tried to clam the little man down who was now sobbing on my pillows (all three children were in my bed) I then sat by the bedroom window watching the looters using trolleys to carry their “freebies” The looters no longer ran as they had done some six hours earlier, they now strolled  taking their time! It looked as through it was a normal thing to do, anyone would think these guys were shopping at a 24hr supermarket, not robbing one that closed at 9.pm the night before. With not a police officer In sight except for the odd blue light driving right past the free for all, you can almost understand why some went back for seconds and thirds having filled their get away cars to the very rim.

 London and beyond was now becoming a burning inferno of terror. With the Government cutting back police the country didn’t stand a hope in hell, nor did the policemen that I saw being kicked and punched all over the papers on Tuesday morning.

 It was crazy when I re-checked my twitter stream, what had happened during the half an hour period of me being away was a little surreal. I had loads of new followers who were now also using the tag #lewishamriotcleanup. With many agreeing to meet with me at the Lewisham shopping centre at 9.am.

 The whole idea behind the cleanup was based on more than “Cleaning” My mother works for the council so I knew most had started early on a mission to clean the streets! My mission was to help those business who would show up at work in a few hours time to find the devastating mess and bill left by rioters and looters. Even if it meant sweeping glass, making tea, or just showing support, while showing others that we’re not all bad eggs, some of use stayed in our houses choosing not to rob our local high street shops. This went for the bigger companies too, (through we knew that it was the smaller retailers who would suffer most) that’s why we targeted lots of support to those smaller independent business.

 I decided to start getting ready for my mission but before I did I went through the many messages and mentions on my Twitter to establish if I would actually be doing this alone, despite  the support forming in cyberspace I wondered if when it came to it, would anyone show up at 9.am? It was only then that I saw a message from BBCs London the breakfast show requesting a live radio interview 15 minutes before my planed meet up. My heart was beating at a rate so fast I felt it in my feet, I said yes only to hold the nerves in the Pit of my stomach for the next few hours. Everything kept moving on at a rate that was hard to keep up with, (highlighting the power of social media in a good way). Next thing I knew I was dressed, the children’s father arrived to look after the children (all except little man who begged to come and help) We both set off towards Lewisham town centre “which had seen some awful riots these past few nights and days, along with the surrounding areas such as Lee and Catford.” It was in the taxi I did my live interview for BBC radio which luckily went swimmingly. Once out the taxi I noticed no one except on lady looking lost. This was our first fellow riot clean up volunteer. The group grew to around twenty, others came to wish us luck! I was more than shocked to discover a BBC news reporter was there who interviewed both myself and little man and some of the others. A member of the Lewisham refuge team came to inform us that all was in hand and we were not needed! I wanted to work with the council not against. We spit up and set off in small groups towards Catford High Street. I met fellow volunteers along the way and also discovered that more had turned up outside the shopping centre and would now set upon the mission within different areas of the borough. My small group had the pleasure of having the BBC reporter and later camera crew by our side the whole time, though this felt a little crazy. I did a good few interviews with her which were aired on the BBC London news at 6.30 that same evening. The report was quite a long report that also saw little man being interviewed. The reporter herself was lovely and really supportive off what we were doing making it that much easier. I also done a string of online and radio interviews throughout the day via my mobile phone, Yes, I did really say, “Lewisham was cleaner then usual”  it was true and just needed to be said  I tweeted what and were we were going and meet some fellow tweeters along the way.

A shop window in Catford high street following riots and looting

The Mess left by looters in Catford high street

 Little man felt quite angry at the whole riot business, especially as his beloved London buses had been targeted (except this time it wasn’t a terrorist attack)

Google images London bus ablaze in Croydon South London

A few of the Lewisham Riot Clean up crew

 One of the fellow clean up crew was a lovely young girl of 16 years who proved that not all youths are looting JD spots, some are actually cleaning it up. Yes, right at the end of the day we discovered the huge amount of smashed up glass that had been left dangerously over the pavement in front of the shop. I was so proud of little man and by taking him out there with me I hoped to show him that there was still good people in the world, and I think I achieved that.

Little Man outside JD sports with a fellow Lewisham Riot Clean up member.

Related articles

• riot cleanup – but is it over? (vault9.net)
• London riots: the third night – live coverage (guardian.co.uk)
• VIDEO: London riots: Cars ablaze in Lewisham (bbc.co.uk)
• London riots: Hackney and Lewisham come under attack (mirror.co.uk)
• Them and us: the young Londoners who we can’t afford to alienate | Rosie Laufer (guardian.co.uk)
• After riots, Britain’s Cameron vows to fight ‘moral collapse’ – Los Angeles Times (news.google.com)
• London Looting Olympics: Social Disruption? (viralblog.com)
• British PM: Riots due to ‘moral collapse’ (edition.cnn.com)
• Descent into hell as London burns (thesun.co.uk)

Just one wish

hello readers

So, there’s a few days left of the Easter half-term and as it draws to an end so does my ability to stay calm cool and collective.

I always long for the half-term due to the whole mess that is, ‘Little Man’s Education’, however with him no longer in the mainstream setting that caused him so much confusion and instead receiving an education through a tuition plan applied by a tutor on a one-2-one basis at the local library his been longing to go back. The lack of routine this Easter is driving him loopy. Yes, I try my best to make things predictable but life isn’t always agreeable. What with a string of assessments in preparation for our upcoming tribunal and the fact I’ve been so unwell, resulting in my shorten temper, things have just turned crazy.

His spent much of his time indulging in his ‘Special interest’ by getting stuck into and memorising a stack of bus routes, but come the second week his perched on the edge like some ticking time bomb.

Off course the bomb went bang and so did my head. His been a complete nightmare the entire week!

Will he comply with any request… Hell no! He seems to think the world is plotting against him, yet I’m starting to think it’s me it’s plotting against! His arguing with his sister day and night (yes, kids argue but come to my house and tell me this is normal)! His also disturbingly loud (ask the neighbours) and has trashed the house more then once!

Meltdowns… I know all about meltdowns… Do you? We are not talking tantrums here, are you crazy! This is some hardcore S***, “Excuse me”, but this is something that I his mother will refer to as ‘Torture!’

Unless you’ve been there, lived it and breathed it, you can never begin to understand just what it is I’m rambling on about! It’s not like the ‘terrible twos’ nor is it the ‘boys just being boys’ scenario ! No, it’s the, ‘AUTISM SPECTRUM SCENARIO!’ If I ever need reassurance that such blow-ups are a direct result of his AS then I just look at his eight year old sister and it’s confirmed in a blink!

I can’t fully explain what its like for him! His low tolerance for certain everyday situations that trigger stress, his inability to control his emotions in a more socially acceptable manner! The reason I can’t explain is simple,”I’m not in side his head, I’m on the outside peeking in, just wishing I could fully understand!”

As his mother it’s my wish that I could fully understand what his thinking, what makes him tick! Give me a wish and that’s what I’d wish for, “TO BE INSIDE HIS HEAD”, It’s hard not to become frustrated for I have tried to learn so much about his condition, but not even a masters in autism will ever get me close enough! I’m a parent to a child with Aspergers, I’m not a mother with Aspergers!

Nevertheless there is something I can share with you… What a meltdown is like for me, a parent of a child with Aspergers! I have plenty of experience as I’m sure many of you have! Meltdowns are one of the hardest things I have to deal with in terms of little mans difficulties and although my son has a huge amount of great qualities that make up his personality , I wont pretend like its all Little professors and I don’t believe in the sugar coating approach… Sometimes things are just dam right bloody hard!

The ‘Daddy’ of meltdowns (not like there’s a type) normally drives me to the point of insanity, it causes me to question my own parenting skills and ability to cope with the situation at hand. I’ve quite literally stood on the spot and let out a high pitched scream, fallen to my knees & begged god for a break regardless of my current company, I’ve cried and asked god, “why me?” I’ve even had a full blown panic attack (YES IN THE SUPERMARKET)

Little over the top you think? No, in-fact this description actually does the ‘DADDY MELTDOWN’ no justice. There are no boundaries, no limits in which he knows he shouldn’t push… his impulsiveness that causes a worry inside me that I cannot explain.

Have you ever took you child out and feared them having some kind public tantrum? I have! I do!

But at least now I have learnt to cope… “TO some degree”, at least! I suppose its like anything, it all depends on ones frame of mind at the time! Sometimes I’m super confident and use a number of self-coping skills why trying an array of learnt techniques to discover the underlying issues surrounding his challenging behaviour! Sometimes these ‘ISSUES’ are clear, other times its mind-boggling!

Then there are the times I feel like grabbing my coat and legging it! Running like Forrest Gump in the direction off the unknown, but anything is better then here (Well of course I don’t leg it! But yes the thought does cross my mind)

A meltdown in our house can least an hour, an afternoon, the entire day and night, and sometimes…. A good few days!

Of course we will normally be over the screaming and the smashing things up by this point (Oh yes he loves to beat the hell out of the doors or the staircase) If the meltdown is one lasting over a day, his normally more tearful on day two, he wont let go and feels so wronged. This can be hard as he likes to go on and on about it, ear bashing me all day! He will sit sobbing, telling me I’m the worse mother in the world and how could I be so selfish when I didn’t agree to him having something or another. To some point its like talking to a person who has consumed to much alcohol simply because there’s no reasoning with him!

Of course it’s much better for him to have a meltdown in the safety of the home! Yes, I like it behind close doors too! Who don’t!!! But unless we are happy to confine ourselves to a life of isolation, then we have to deal with it! I was looking through some pictures on my iphone taken during the summer of last year. With every trip (Well, almost) is a picture of little man at the start of a meltdown.

If your out and about and you see a child with an expression like that on his face, “BEWARE HE MAY BLOW!” In all seriousness, seeing a child having a meltdown isn’t something to stick your nose up at, Nor is it your job to judge the child or the parent in that situation! After all… You never know the underlying causes, all you do is contribute to a very stressful situation.

Basically if don’t fancy mum giving you the finger in the supermarket, then keep your eyes on you’re trolly and your nose in your own business!

Related Articles

• John Robison: When Should You Tell A Child They Have Asperger’s? (huffingtonpost.com)
• Is social awkwardness and anxiety related to Asperger’s disorder? (zocdoc.com)
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Little man writes poetry

I’ve been meaning to share this for a little over a week now.

Poetry seems to be a talent for many on the spectrum. I read an article recently about a girl on the spectrum who completely spoke in rhyme even if nothing was said for hours when she did speak it would always be in line so that it rhymed with the last syllable of whatever it was she had said two hours previously.

Little man sometimes answers a questions etc in a rhyming manner, however this isn’t all the time and he certainly doesn’t remember the last word he said a few hours earlier… though his a firm believer that a poem sounds better when it rhymes with the last syllable.

As most will know from a few of my past posts. Little man has become a fan of Bruno Mars. After I brought him the album some few weeks back, it’s been played daily to a extremity! Day one he had memorized every single lyric for every single song (much to my delight) pretty amazing, but also a little annoying.

He started doing this really irritating thing that was driving me round the bend. Everytime I spoke to him he would turn, look at me, open his mouth and out would fall song lyrics, completely unrelated to the topic at hand! He didn’t sing… more like spoke the lyrics before turning and walking away. With a sigh of relief I can safely say that this phase has come to a magical end. Sadly the obsession remains and is now on a equal par with transport.

Little man has always loved to create poetry. I remember a world cup poem he created last year, it was full on awesome and definitely a one of a kind!

On Valentines day on collection of my daughter from school she handed me one of her beautiful handmade cards (she is quite the little artist) The words she wrote were full of emotion and I admit I shed a tear or two (real emotional mummy is me)

Little man made a few of these cards when he was in the early years at school and although they mainly consisted of drawings of trains, buses & maps with no words inside (unless the teacher had noticed and therefore helped him write something) Regardless I always found them beautiful. The last few years, mothers day, birthdays, valentines etc Alice makes the cards Little man signs them. I’ve been reading a lot that many children/adults on the spectrum are great artist, I myself have created the autism art page on this very blog! However Little man has never really been a keen drawer unless it’s transport, maps or another new invention. He hates to use colour and I’ve learnt that this is purely to do with his frustration with his own fine motor skills… he has problems keeping the colour within the lines and has difficulty maintaining his concentration so he just won’t bother trying anymore. Although his sister, like myself love to draw and create pieces of art I’ve come to learn that my little man is an artist in his own right. He loves to write pieces of art (well dictate or type seems more fitting, as writing pen to paper is his pet hate) His poetry is great… very deep and meaningful, I think it’s his way of expressing his emotions at times. Then there are those that are full of humour… Whatever the kind there always pretty amazing.

So once home from the school he went off to his room where he closed the door behind him and vanished for the next half hour.

Sat on my bed half asleep but conscious enough to know little man was now stood directly infront of me.
One eye open (the night before wasn’t easy) I asked him what he wanted to which he made an annoucement.

“Attention please, Attention”

he then went on to say at volume…

“Today is valentines day, and all I know is its all about love and that stuff” he pursed to pull a funny face as to say love and stuff was yuck. “Its also my Nan’s birthday on Valentines day”

He was correct but I still sat wondering where the hell this speech was going!

“So, as I’m to tired after a long days learning at the library. I’ve decided not to make my mum a Valentines card, But I’ve made a poem for you mum instead. It’s all about Love & stuff” Again he did that face to resemble a person that was feeling sick. (the facial expression programme was certainly paying off)

I sat up and took note, smiling I nodded and said, “go on then do your thing”

“Its not a thing woman” he said in a offended manner! (yep sounded like his father a little more everyday)

“it’s a poem!”

“Calm down, I didn’t mean it in a rude way, it’s just something u say” I explained before adding…

“Oh, and a little less of the woman! It’s mum to you”

He laughed, cleared his throat and held up the paper in his hand at eye level then began to read aloud…

For the best, a poem that you will never want to miss.

He was a man that you miss and want to kiss
Your her blood and flesh
and nothing will go to mess
unless a heart will be broken
a tick of a token
You will be gone
and regret the bet you set.

Hands together I clapped and went in for a kiss which he reluctantly excepted with a screwed up face, only to then wipe it from his cheek with his sleeve saying, “yuck mum, that was a wet one”

“Nevermind that, your poem was exceptional” I proudly annouced.

to which he repiled.

“I’m good at this” (so modest like his mum)

As he turned around to leave the room I asked him where he was going now!

” I like the word exceptional mum so I’m going to put it in my book of best words. It’s not as good as the word loath, that’s still the best word”

He then came back with his book and asked me to write the word and it’s meaning. Of course I complied.

I get the feeling that everythings going to be alright from now on. With the exception of the odd bump in the road, i’m sure things are on the up. I’m so proud of all three of my children, each one with their own special character and amazing ways.

Looks like little man will be writing poetry besides patroling London transport as a member of the transport police when his older. Time can only tell.

NO BUTLINS FOR US.!

Yes you have heard correctly! There’s not going to be a trip to Butlins after all. Why? Because as you can guess given a late and spontaneous decision to go it was fully booked up:(

OK I really should off seen that one coming. I always seem to have these ideas that little bit to late. Never mind Mum will put on that thinking cap (the one that I have worn many a times) Think it will be a few day trips here and there. G has already helped by putting some input into where we should be taking him. You don’t really have to ask what those ideas were do you? Yes the trip my little man had planned in his head was a day centered around the speedy trains and big red buses! I must add his also wanting a trip on the tram something his never been on before. Is this a new obsessions due to come about??

Alice wants to go swimming. Great me in my swimming costurm’ that’s something i haven’t done for a bit (years) So it’s not as if there’s a problem with us not taking our trip after all. Alice and G seem fine with there new plans’ and it don’t look as if I’m going to have any spare time on me hands! But that’s what it’s all about really! We have our children and we put our whole heart and soul into giving them the best. The life we wish for them to have:) It’s not like my two want a trip to Disney land! One wants to swim while the other wants to go bus riding. Well if that’s what will make there half term super fab then that’s what we are doing! Not only will it keep the children busy it may turn out to be a bit of fun.

I STILL PLAN TO POST PICTURES!!! SO BE WARNED. IF YOU DON’T LIKE PUBLIC TRANSPORT THEN BEST TO STAY AWAY:) LOL

TO BE CONTINUED………………..     

One off little mans many train pic's

 

 

 

 

 

The sparkle in his eyes

My little man’s face was a picture.
His big eyes were wide open.
I could see the delight in which he was living. He was in one of his favourite places’ he was on the 136 bus.

Yes that’s right my boy was enjoying a trip to the supermarket on the big bright red London bus. There is only one other place that I see that look on his face and that’s the train.
For a long time G has had a great interest with trains and buses. He loves to board the bus where he can then observe everything in great detail’ and then process it in his brain.
The doors and how they work is where his true love is. He often’ well always acts out the opening and closing motion that they make. He can do this for hours at a time. He likes to know where each and every train and bus is heading. He will then store the information and later repeat it over and over as he walks from side to side demonstrating the moving doors with his arms or even using household objects such as a pair of sunglasses or two pens.

Watch out. If you happen to be wearing a British rail uniform or any uniform that shows that you are employed by London transport. Because if you catch my son’s eye it is extremely possible that you are about to undergo a extensively long interview. This is near on impossible to avoid.

My little boys interest is nothing less or other then pure obsessive.
He can wear you down with his consistent chit chat regarding the Hayes train line or the 181 bus having just installed new green bars where these used to be yellow.
I would be lying if I said sometimes I don’t think “PLEASE GIVE IT A REST MATE” But when I see that sparkle in his eyes and that smile across his face I know in a instant this is what makes him happy. And if his happy mummys happy:)