While driving to the store I get a phone call that has an OMG! MOM, I am beside myself ring to it! I take a deep breath and brace myself for whatever is to follow. The dreaded words, “the school just called and Drake is in the principal’s office in time out ma…timmmme oooout…he’s in trouble ma”…came tumbling out of my sweet girl’s mouth. I am quickly assessing the situation and thinking just how bad can it be? He is only seven after all. He is not known to be a trouble maker as a rule so I tell her to calm down and tell me what is going on. He said whaat??? He did whaaaaat?????? Now I had to take a friggin’ deep breath and calm myself down.
By now my fight or flight mode was engaging and as anyone who has read my blog would know: I was in fight mode…welllllll, kinda sorta, because he did say some bad, bad, words and did pull his pants partially down (thank goodness) during recess. Oh good grief! Part of me was thinking…wow…he is doing stupid seven year old boy stuff, while the other part was thinking, BUT it is hard to make him understand not to do this. What he would do is this: He would say don’t say blankety blank because it is a bad word. Don’t say blankety, blank, blank because this is a bad word. He certainly has quite a litany of blankety blanks. Smart kid this little imp! Leaves ya wondering if he is reaffirming the fact that he shouldn’t say these words, or using this as a ruse to use them. I tend to lean towards the latter and that means his higher thought process is working because has has actually scammed me before. OK! OK! I will explain and then continue with today.
A few years ago I saw him getting ready to throw something he was drinking into the garbage. I said uh, uh, buddy boy…you asked for it so do not do that…DRINK IT ok? The little bugger put it to his lips like he was sipping and then unceremoniously flipped it into the pail. I was stunned. I was elated. I was friggin’ beside myself. Could barely contain myself. He was scamming me because nary a drop touched his beautiful little boy mouth and I knew it. All I could think was: He has to be using a higher thought level…logic…OH YES! my little love, I shall let you win this go round but I will surely keep an eye on ya, ya little creep. Scamming grandma like that; how wicked, how wonderful, how wickedly wonderful. Back to the now!
That little anecdote should explain why I wonder about the bad, bad, some very bad words. Although there is more to this story than meets the eye. Apparently three boys in his class like to egg him on, not understanding this is like opening Pandora’s Box. Are they doing this to get him into trouble? Are they doing this because they think it is funny? Is it a combination of both? Did they tell him to take his pants partially down in the play yard? If this is the case they certainly need to be talked to. Their parents need to be talked to as well. The little boys need to be taught that he needs their help in good ways…not ways to amuse and get himself in trouble. Are they laughing with him or at him? Education is power and these kids and all kids and their parents and all parents need a bit of EMPOWERMENT ya think?
Back to the principal’s office, (I do tend to get sidetracked at times): They really were treating my little love nicely. They are being educated along with everyone else as far as autism’s little nuances. When the Principal went back to his desk I leaned towards “the Masher” and whispered, “No more baddie, baddie words, right?” and he replied in a whisper “no more bad words.” I leaned in a bit closer and whispered, “why did you pull your pants part way down?” and he leaned in closer and whispered, “I had to pee!!!!” OMG! Was that the simple explanation? My head was too busy reeling from the fact he was whispering back to me…NO ONE IN THIS SCHOOL TRULY UNDERSTANDS HOW FAR THIS KID HIS TRAVELED…THEY THINK THEY DO BUT THEY DON’T…you had to be there from the beginning. Oh well, such is life. We did pinkie promise that he would behave. Said I love you, and left him happily coloring his way through the time out stay in the Principal’s office, who by the way supplied the paper and crayons, and was secure in leaving him.
As I was leaving the school and walking towards my car I saw the kids walking back to class from the lunch room. One little boy stood out and I thought how cute with his little mohawk. As I kept walking I heard a teacher asking, “Did you do something to him? Did you? Tell me the truth?” She was directing this to the cute little mohawk guy. Drake my love, at that very moment I realized the little boy in you was truly coming out…we just have to figure out how to turn off the switch after it comes on. You go my love…you go! Called my daughter and once again she sounded like my precious Jefner!
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