Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Camp Wacky

Yes, TWO Special Exposure / Wordless Weds. posts this week!

The kids are attending their second week of summer camp and today was Wacky Wednesday. James' sister was so excited about it that he was too. They both took care to dress up. The counselors dress up and encourage all the campers to as well. I was so glad I'd had my coffee -- it was quite a site to see at the morning drop off!

James picked out a wacky outfit of his very own for the first time (last year he was content to let Mom slap a huge sombrero on his head and call it wacky-fine). The hat that his dad got for him, Dad's tie, and his shoes on the wrong feet. Wow he loves that last one, every day! His big sister racked up another award ... and she didn't even bring the hand puppets!

Prizes are given out to those who make an inspired effort at wackiness. It's such a smart idea, because getting to wear strange things like PJs, ties, and feather boas (and monster feet) to camp makes the day seem extra special - like a summer Halloween.


For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

Happy Towel Day ... And What It Takes

Getting kids to dress when they'd rather be doing something else is rarely straight forward. Eight year-old boys are famous for finding just about anything more interesting than getting dressed. Add autism, and figure at least another 10 minutes of shepherding to get him changed and out the door.

Step 1: Heads-up announcement that current activity will be ending (this morning, it was playing an Incredibles video game) in X number of minutes (usually 2 to 10), and getting dressed would be the next activity of the day.

Step 2: Announcement that it is now time to stop activity. This involves prompting as needed to wrap up and stop/put away items.

Step 3: Accompany James to room to change. This cuts down on whining, detours, and attempts at negotiations to go back and keep on doing prior activity.

Step 4: Make sure he starts and is not likely to hide under the covers or get distracted by toys or math flash cards.

Step 5: Hang around for inevitable trips to the bathroom and cries for "new underwear!" Make sure he takes care of business properly in the bathroom (includes proper hand washing). This step can take a while, because James has started to be extremely fussy as to which underwear is worthy of wearing.

Step 6: Socks. The dreaded socks. Lately, I put out 2 pairs and let him choose.

Step 7: Shoes. James can be pretty good about this, but he does tend to choose his mock Crocks over tennis shoes (not allowed on school days or for baseball) and likes to put his shoes on the wrong feet on purpose. Gah!

Meanwhile, it's Towel Day! The kids have heard some of the BBC radio shows and have enjoyed the BBC series on You Tube. And on days that frustrate me with struggles with bureaucracy and feelings of isolation from mainstream life, it's rather soothing to read about the adventures of Arthur Dent, Dirk Gently, and Susan Way. And smile.

“Don't you understand that we need to be childish in order to understand? Only a child sees things with perfect clarity, because it hasn't developed all those filters which prevent us from seeing things that we don't expect to see.”
― Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Yes, we know where our towels are!

Special Exposure Weds: That Sinking Sock Feeling

Well, it's been a Morning. Nothing horrific, just one of those struggles with daily things that rears it's head suddenly and messes with Schedules and Plans. Gah!

First, there's the wind. It's been kicking up huge gusts for over two days now. Makes things chilly (after a heatwave) and riles up the kiddos. It's making all our allergies exponentially worse.

Second, James threw (for him) a fit over putting on his socks. Everything stops and cannot go forward, in schooltime, if the socks are not going on the feet. I still have mental scars from trying to get his sister to school (years ago), sobbing because "the strings in the socks are cutting my feet!" I have spent a small fortune on "stringless" socks, almost haunting our local Kohl's for sock sales.

Socks: The Horror.

James' issue is different. For reasons unknown, he's taken to sneaking clean socks out of his drawer and wiping himself after a #2 session in the bathroom, and then putting them back into the drawer. Yeah, that was a happy day when I finally figured out what that smell was. Not.

Nefarious sock drawer, topmost.

I have asked for help from behaviourists for over 4 years and we've spent over $300 in copays for intake sessions and reports that, while helpful, did not address this issue at all. His huge supply of socks has dwindled to maybe 5 pairs. I'm not sure I even want to know where the rest are.

Anywho, he threw a fit this morning about the socks. He doesn't have a lot of choices. He kissed 3 hours of iPad time goodbye while he moaned, whined, and rolled about on the floor. I finally got a pair on his feet. Of course they were "the wrong ones!" I had to get my own shoes and socks on and I am pretty sure he took this opportunity to mismatch his socks to his satisfaction. Whatever. Socks on feet. Out the door. School on time. Yes!

But as I gave my quick verbal hand-off to his aide this morning, he started scratching the seat of his pants and asked for permission to go to the bathroom. Holy Martha Stewart, I think I'd better check his sock drawer. With tongs.


For more images and tales of offbeat life (and to share some of yours),
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.