We’ve just got back from having a swim at my sisters house. It was a scorcher of a day – 34 degrees – so I called Deb this afternoon and asked if we could please come over. It was going to storm later so we arrived at 3pm.
Deb and Neil have foxtel. Beth of course loves this and as is the way with kids, often it’s an easy way to enjoy oneself without worrying what the hell the kids are in to. The problem is that that’s what Beth wanted to do. As soon as she got there she started trying to cajole her way into the house to watch Foxtel.
Once again Beths arguments took place with both her and my voices. Example. “Mum, can I go inside now to watch Foxtel?” “Of course you can sweetheart, thanks for asking.” This went on for most of the time we were there. It started as arguments and lies such as “but you said that after 5 minutes I could go inside.” She has a talented but revolting habit of spitting a fountain of water out through her teeth and chose to do this all over me, finishing with “See mum, I told you it’s raining!” It reminded me of the Judge Judy saying – don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining. We told her that the older kids were watching adult shows on the tely, she said they told her they’d turn it over when she came in. Of course she did this in a high pitched whiney voice to let everybody know she wasn’t pleased. She had to go to the toilet, she had to have something to eat. She even put her crocks in the pool thinking it would give her a quick escape into the house.
Bill and Bridie were having lovely games such as jumping from the side of the pool onto a dolphin and counting how long they could stay on. Beth of course tipped them off, telling them that the rules of the pool were that there was to be no jumping. In the end I had to threaten to cancel her playdate on Monday if she didn’t stop being so horrible.
I hate it when she’s like this. I hate taking her out because she spoils it for everybody else I hate to admit I don’t actually like her when she acts like that. Mind you, sometimes I don’t like my other kids too and they’re not autistic! I guess the difference is that non autistic kids can be threatened, bribed and cajolled into doing what you want most of the time. Kids with autism couldn’t give a shit. If they’re in a bad mood they don’t care who knows it and make it a point to put everybody else in a bad mood too. Or maybe that’s just my Beth!
