We’ve had a pretty full on week. Beth has been a bit all over the place emotionally. We had Sensational Kids on Thursday. The Occupational Therapist has a couple of weeks off which is a shame as we’ve only seen her twice. She had an overseas trip planned before she took the position so it couldn’t be helped. We still saw Rod though but Beth was a bit scatty throughout the session.
Beth got from the cupboard one of those things that has lots of metal rods that you make a shape with. You can push your hand on one side and the shape of it comes out the other side in the rods. I hope you understand what I mean! Rod decided to use this as a game and got a tub of plastic foods out of the game cupboard. He would put a piece under the rods and out it would pop in metal for Beth to guess. As she had to shut her eyes when he was putting it there she couldn’t quite grasp the idea that she could then open them again to play the game. She kept waving her head from side to side in what, for old folks like me, looked like Stevie Wonder when he sings! She was repeating a lot of what she said and couldn’t grasp things very well. Rod divided the food groups and wrote them down so she had to ask questions such as which food groups, what colour, what size, how it tasted, you get the picture. Beth didn’t really volunteer any of these suggestions unless asked and it was a pretty fruitless (pardon the pun) exercise really.
Near the end Beth kept wanting to climb on Rod’s shoulders and he said that yes, she could, if she could try to guess the last piece which was celery. She fluffed about and finally lifted the thing up to reveal the celery, saying that she had guess it and it was time for her reward. Rod had run out of time by that point and as Beth hadn’t done what was asked, told her that no, there wouldn’t be any ride today. Well, Beth decided to have a full on tantrum with high pitched voice and screaming. Rod hadn’t seen her like that before. She ran up the corridor to give him a hug so that she could then climb on his shoulders, crying and carrying on but he wouldn’t back down. It hopefully will only take this once as she has to learn that there are consequences if you don’t do what you are supposed to. Once we were in the car and she had her magazine and something to eat she was fine but it’s horrible when it happens.
Yesterday morning was a bit of a tanty one too. With her magazine had come 2 necklaces which said gr8 M8’s, as in great mates. Beth had worn hers to Grandma and Grandpa’s while I took the others to karate and I had forgotten all about it. When we got in the car to go to school Beth had seen the one she was to give to her friend and had a full blown tantrum because I didn’t know where hers was. Then when we got to school her friend hadn’t arrived yet. When she came into assembly she was all teary but luckily her friend showed up late and she gave her her necklace then.
My Bridie got an award yesterday which was wonderful as she got up to receive it, something she hasn’t done before. The kids at school were asked to design shed and hers was the favourite out of all of them because it was so pretty. Each year had a child who got a certificate and a bottle brush. She was so proud of herself.
After assembly yesterday I went to a funeral for an old friend. I wont go into details out of respect for his wife but I will say that he was too young and has left a young family behind. Things like this really bring life into perspective and make you appreciate what you have. It also makes me think that people should live life the way they want to. We put so many rules on ourselves, whether they be societies rules or religious rules or any others that you can think of. I believe if we are doing the right thing by ourselves and by others around us then who cares what we do. If you are not hurting anybody then live the life that makes you happy.
The day ended with a group of mums at Bec’s baby blessing. How odd the day was, with a Funeral and a baby blessing all in one day. Bec is one of my closest friends and she deserves this much wanted baby so much. And Will is the most excited kid in the family. They say kids with autism and aspergers don’t like younger kids sometimes but he can’t wait. I wish Bec and her family all the love and luck in the world.