Blog written by Debby Elley, co-editor of AuKids magazine, about her twins Bobby and Alec, who have autism.
Monday 13 August 2012
The Olympics May Be Over But...
...ahead of the Paralympics are the Lego Olympics, apparently. Bobby currently watching Lego basketball USA v France and seems to prefer it to the real thing.
Post-It Revenge
Bobby wakes up with the larks, which is great for the larks but not so good for us. When I say he gets up early, I shouldn't be ungrateful. I know that a lot of kids with autism have severe sleep disruption. In the twins' younger days they got up far too early. Now the timing is a little more sociable.
After eight years of getting up at the crack of dawn, we've finally got to the point where Alec actually WANTS to lie in during the holidays. If it weren't for Bobby, he'd sleep in. As it is, he's forced to put the duvet over his head and block out the sound of his brother's joyous greetings to the day.
Bobby enjoys setting his Nintendo DS alarm, which has a Mario clock with it. More recently, he's somehow managed to sample the sound of Rayman Raving Rabbid shouting 'DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!' and now likes to wake up to this instead.
The straw that broke the camel's back came on Sunday morning when he walked into our bedroom, planted his Nintendo 3DS inches from my ear, and woke ME up with 'DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!'
My Social Story 'When I Wake Up' about being a little bit quieter on getting up (and not crashing down the stairs like an elephant singing the Smiths crisps advert from 1980 loudly and shouting DAAH) wasn't quite as effective as I'd hoped. So this morning, I left this note on our bedroom door.
'BOBBY - KNOCK ON THE DOOR AT 8'OCLOCK. DON'T WAKE US UP. TRY TO BE VERY QUIET. IF YOU DO, YOU GET 3 STARS! (YOU CAN GO DOWNSTAIRS IF QUIET WITH THE TELY) MUM XXXX'
Apart from a knock on the door at 7.30am which I replied to, all was quiet. Bobby is saving up for Super Mario 2 and if he gets 5 good behaviour/independence stars then he gets £1. At school they call this basic bribery 'reward systems'. What the heck, it works.
Pleased with myself, I got up at 8am and went to get the twins up and congratulate Bobby with his stars.
I was abruptly met with a closed door (unusual) and a Post-It stuck on it. The Post-It, in Bobby's best hand-writing, read:
DO NOT DITURB UNTIL 8:30AM
Touche. Guffawing into my hand, I went downstairs, but respected his wishes, posted his stars under the door and returned at 8.30am. I knocked delicately on his door and waited for a while (if I want him to respect us, I've got to respect him). I knocked again. There was a brief scuffle and then Bobby opened the door a crack.
"Didn't you read my note?"
"Er - I did yes, but it's 8.35am."
"Oh." Another brief scuffle. I wasn't used to this very 'cool' attitude, which Bobby conducted in all seriousness wearing his fluffy black earmuffs, which he likes to sleep in. He returned carrying some toys and began to walk downstairs.
"Humph. I need more sleep than you, you know."
Bobby: 1
Mummy: 0
After eight years of getting up at the crack of dawn, we've finally got to the point where Alec actually WANTS to lie in during the holidays. If it weren't for Bobby, he'd sleep in. As it is, he's forced to put the duvet over his head and block out the sound of his brother's joyous greetings to the day.
Bobby enjoys setting his Nintendo DS alarm, which has a Mario clock with it. More recently, he's somehow managed to sample the sound of Rayman Raving Rabbid shouting 'DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!' and now likes to wake up to this instead.
The straw that broke the camel's back came on Sunday morning when he walked into our bedroom, planted his Nintendo 3DS inches from my ear, and woke ME up with 'DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!'
My Social Story 'When I Wake Up' about being a little bit quieter on getting up (and not crashing down the stairs like an elephant singing the Smiths crisps advert from 1980 loudly and shouting DAAH) wasn't quite as effective as I'd hoped. So this morning, I left this note on our bedroom door.
'BOBBY - KNOCK ON THE DOOR AT 8'OCLOCK. DON'T WAKE US UP. TRY TO BE VERY QUIET. IF YOU DO, YOU GET 3 STARS! (YOU CAN GO DOWNSTAIRS IF QUIET WITH THE TELY) MUM XXXX'
Apart from a knock on the door at 7.30am which I replied to, all was quiet. Bobby is saving up for Super Mario 2 and if he gets 5 good behaviour/independence stars then he gets £1. At school they call this basic bribery 'reward systems'. What the heck, it works.
Pleased with myself, I got up at 8am and went to get the twins up and congratulate Bobby with his stars.
I was abruptly met with a closed door (unusual) and a Post-It stuck on it. The Post-It, in Bobby's best hand-writing, read:
DO NOT DITURB UNTIL 8:30AM
Touche. Guffawing into my hand, I went downstairs, but respected his wishes, posted his stars under the door and returned at 8.30am. I knocked delicately on his door and waited for a while (if I want him to respect us, I've got to respect him). I knocked again. There was a brief scuffle and then Bobby opened the door a crack.
"Didn't you read my note?"
"Er - I did yes, but it's 8.35am."
"Oh." Another brief scuffle. I wasn't used to this very 'cool' attitude, which Bobby conducted in all seriousness wearing his fluffy black earmuffs, which he likes to sleep in. He returned carrying some toys and began to walk downstairs.
"Humph. I need more sleep than you, you know."
Bobby: 1
Mummy: 0
Thursday 2 August 2012
Bobby's Latest Quotes
"I know what's in the heptathlon! Running, cycling, shooting, archery and equalstrong."
Turned out this meant Equestrian...
Explained to Bobby that his autism means that when he gets hold of an idea, like the Rabbids, it's very hard to let it go. Told him this could be a good thing or a bad thing, that it meant he became an expert quickly but also that he finds it hard to think of anything else. "Don't worry, I am not thinking of anything else now. I store my memories in my tummy."
On learning that he has a new support worker taking him out this afternoon: "Oh! I can tell him about Skylanders! and (whispering) I can tell him my Rabbids secret."
Skylanders are being encouraged at the moment. At least they were a sane obsession. At least there are about 95 of them, so if he chats non-stop he's circulating it a bit. I can't see much benefit to the Rabbids interest, apart from the fact that Bobby shouting 'BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!' at 7.30am makes a handy alarm clock.
Rabbids are shy, says Bobby, that's why no one can see them but him. I had not noticed they were shy. It's like living with Vivien from the Young Ones. Any minute now he's going to grab a cricket bat and shout 'Bored bored bored bored bored bored bored!!!!'
Anyone suggest any tame, soft, lovely obsessions suitable for the average 8 year-old?
Correction: suitable for the anything-but-average 8 year old?
Turned out this meant Equestrian...
Explained to Bobby that his autism means that when he gets hold of an idea, like the Rabbids, it's very hard to let it go. Told him this could be a good thing or a bad thing, that it meant he became an expert quickly but also that he finds it hard to think of anything else. "Don't worry, I am not thinking of anything else now. I store my memories in my tummy."
On learning that he has a new support worker taking him out this afternoon: "Oh! I can tell him about Skylanders! and (whispering) I can tell him my Rabbids secret."
Skylanders are being encouraged at the moment. At least they were a sane obsession. At least there are about 95 of them, so if he chats non-stop he's circulating it a bit. I can't see much benefit to the Rabbids interest, apart from the fact that Bobby shouting 'BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!' at 7.30am makes a handy alarm clock.
Rabbids are shy, says Bobby, that's why no one can see them but him. I had not noticed they were shy. It's like living with Vivien from the Young Ones. Any minute now he's going to grab a cricket bat and shout 'Bored bored bored bored bored bored bored!!!!'
Anyone suggest any tame, soft, lovely obsessions suitable for the average 8 year-old?
Correction: suitable for the anything-but-average 8 year old?
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