Thankfully we are on the sleep train this weekend. Owen woke up and I heard him in his bed. “Wanna hug,” he said repeating it several times. He says this when he is awake but doesn’t want to get up. I told him he didn’t have to get up yet and hugged him. He was very excited about church and reminded me several times before I could pour my first cup of coffee or get his milk.
I didn’t tell him that we had rescheduled to go swimming today. I thought I should wait to make sure they didn’t have a problem again today. I’m hoping it’s a wise decision. Sometimes not telling him is as much of a slippery slope as telling him. When he decides he doesn’t want to do something then he doesn’t want to do something and trying to make him causes meltdowns from both of us.
He sat at the breakfast table playing on his tablet and eating his second or third breakfast. He kept saying “church yes” in between each bite he was taking. He was on a mission. Routine is everything and over the last few weeks, there have been many moments that anything but routine has happened. This can be something like his best friend not being at school. And all of this causes the ripple effect of behaviors. We had to change his clothes three times before we could even walk out the door for church.
Owen is constantly trying to open the car door while we are moving. I have the childproof lock activated but I try to explain to him that this is very dangerous. He rarely rides with someone else besides my mom but I don’t want him to attempt this at all especially if he rides with someone and I don’t think to mention it. We took off for church, we got around the corner, and he started pulling the handle. I drove right home. I told him that we were going home because I had warned him so many times. I sat there explaining it to him again, with my heart breaking, praying once again this might be the key to his understanding. He said, “Do you understand church church.” He wanted to go. I debated what to do. I said to him that if he touched the door again we wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. We took off and that was the best-behaved ride we have ever had.
He did great at church and when we left he had several places he wanted to go but that’s when I told him we were going home so we could each lunch and then go to his swimming lesson. He was thrilled. He listened to all my instructions on the way home and still left the door handle alone.
We got ready to go and I told him we were leaving early because I didn’t want to miss his lesson in case there was traffic. Generally, it’s not a problem on Sundays but I also like to prepare him for waiting which is extremely hard for him.
We got there and he had an amazing time. His goal is to jump off the diving board but I told him he has to be able to hold his breath underwater and swim upwards because the board is in the deep end. He made huge strides today but still has a hard time putting his head in the water, blowing bubbles out, and not drinking pool water but he will get there.
We got home and his concern turned to who would be there tomorrow and who he was going to miss. He is already planning his week ahead and trying to figure out all the things he will be doing. He knows he won’t be riding the bus to school on Friday because he has an appointment with his psychiatrist. He kept yelling “You know the answer” when he was talking about Friday but he would say he was riding the bus so I would correct him and then he would say “You know the answer.” My brain spins sometimes trying to keep everything straight and what I'm supposed to say.
I pray he sleeps tonight and we can work more on how he handles his routine being disrupted. Each day we make any kind of progress it’s a step forward. Believe in the possibilities, dream of the future you want, and make tomorrow your reality. Smiles to all and donut daze!
I didn’t tell him that we had rescheduled to go swimming today. I thought I should wait to make sure they didn’t have a problem again today. I’m hoping it’s a wise decision. Sometimes not telling him is as much of a slippery slope as telling him. When he decides he doesn’t want to do something then he doesn’t want to do something and trying to make him causes meltdowns from both of us.
He sat at the breakfast table playing on his tablet and eating his second or third breakfast. He kept saying “church yes” in between each bite he was taking. He was on a mission. Routine is everything and over the last few weeks, there have been many moments that anything but routine has happened. This can be something like his best friend not being at school. And all of this causes the ripple effect of behaviors. We had to change his clothes three times before we could even walk out the door for church.
Owen is constantly trying to open the car door while we are moving. I have the childproof lock activated but I try to explain to him that this is very dangerous. He rarely rides with someone else besides my mom but I don’t want him to attempt this at all especially if he rides with someone and I don’t think to mention it. We took off for church, we got around the corner, and he started pulling the handle. I drove right home. I told him that we were going home because I had warned him so many times. I sat there explaining it to him again, with my heart breaking, praying once again this might be the key to his understanding. He said, “Do you understand church church.” He wanted to go. I debated what to do. I said to him that if he touched the door again we wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. We took off and that was the best-behaved ride we have ever had.
He did great at church and when we left he had several places he wanted to go but that’s when I told him we were going home so we could each lunch and then go to his swimming lesson. He was thrilled. He listened to all my instructions on the way home and still left the door handle alone.
We got ready to go and I told him we were leaving early because I didn’t want to miss his lesson in case there was traffic. Generally, it’s not a problem on Sundays but I also like to prepare him for waiting which is extremely hard for him.
We got there and he had an amazing time. His goal is to jump off the diving board but I told him he has to be able to hold his breath underwater and swim upwards because the board is in the deep end. He made huge strides today but still has a hard time putting his head in the water, blowing bubbles out, and not drinking pool water but he will get there.
We got home and his concern turned to who would be there tomorrow and who he was going to miss. He is already planning his week ahead and trying to figure out all the things he will be doing. He knows he won’t be riding the bus to school on Friday because he has an appointment with his psychiatrist. He kept yelling “You know the answer” when he was talking about Friday but he would say he was riding the bus so I would correct him and then he would say “You know the answer.” My brain spins sometimes trying to keep everything straight and what I'm supposed to say.
I pray he sleeps tonight and we can work more on how he handles his routine being disrupted. Each day we make any kind of progress it’s a step forward. Believe in the possibilities, dream of the future you want, and make tomorrow your reality. Smiles to all and donut daze!
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