Dr. Seuss’s Birthday! B, B, B!
We’d be seriously remiss if we didn’t mention that today is the birthday of the great Dr. Seuss. We feel forever in his debt because books like the ABC book, There’s a Wocket in My Pocket, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? were some of the most essential pieces of the J-Man’s early learning. We found them indispensable in motivating him in his speech and reading work. Many of his early sounds and very likely much of his early reading skills and knowledge of the alphabet came from these Seuss books.
I have the ABC book memorized still. I spent many a day calming him down by reciting it and little by little letting him try to fill in a sound or word whenever I paused. After a long while, we could do the whole thing together. He’d say the next syllable, and then I’d say it, all the way through. We could do this without the book, both of us repeating it from memory like a liturgy. Really, that’s pretty much what it was for us.
So, Theodor Geisel, we thank you and honor you for everything you mean to our family and millions of others around the world.
by Tim on November 12, 2009
[Post edited - I realized that those of you subscribed to our blog via e-mail never even saw there was a video in the version of this post that's on our site. You can go directly to the WRAL site and view it if you can't see the video here. -Tim]
As rough as it’s been lately, I needed something to inspire me. Last night on our local newscast, they did a piece on Nathan Baker. He’s a member of a local high school cross country team. And he has cerebral palsy.
His story and his inspiration helped get a good part of me out of my funk.
So, Nathan, thanks for being awesome.
by Tim on October 26, 2009
I heard this in an audiobook I was listening to while waiting to pick up the J-Man from school. An elementary school parking lot is not the most ideal place to get emotional, but I doubt anyone noticed, and who cares anyway.
It feels like it was written for parents like us. It’s beautiful, and it speaks volumes to me right now. Maybe it will do the same for you.
Hold on to what is good, even if it’s a handful of dirt.
Hold on to what you believe, even if it’s a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do, even if it’s a long way from here.
Hold on to life, even when it’s easier letting go.
Hold on to my hand, even when I have gone away from you.
~ A Pueblo Blessing
by Tim on October 15, 2009
This is simply awesome. Kyle Forbes, you rock!
If video player messes up, look for “Autistic Cub Scout Saves Teacher’s Life”.
by Tim on September 19, 2009
Given the struggle things have been lately, I’ve needed as much inspiration as I could find to help refill my bucket. I have a half a zillion autism parents blogs bookmarked in my RSS reader, and I am woefully behind on them. But that’s one of the places I often go to find words I need to hear.
With so many of you, we read your blogs for both inspiration and realism, hope in things not yet seen and practical ways of dealing with what we see right in front of us. You have helped make us better parents and better people.
I’ve been thinking about creating a separate blog where the posts are primarily links to the great stuff we find on your blogs. You all write such amazing things!
Which brings us to such a post for today. MOM – Not Otherwise Specified (MOM-NOS for short) wrote “The purplest” , the story of her son’s 10th birthday. No commentary needed, which would detract from its beauty and perfection anyway. Just go read it. Cry, cheer, and let it make your day like it did mine.
by Tim on August 31, 2009
This has been an eventful week here in the Flashlight House to say the least. Late last week we celebrated the anniversary of Mary’s 29th birthday! And tomorrow the J-Man turns 4. I can’t believe it; time goes by so fast.
We don’t do much in the way of birthday presents or parties around here really. We’re a pretty low-key bunch. About all Mary and I do for each other is the one not having the birthday goes and picks up takeout, we try to spend some unhurried time together, and we each get some additional me time that typically involves one of us getting a couple of hours out of the house sometime around our actual birthday.
The J-Man seems like he really couldn’t care less about birthdays. Actually, birthday parties routinely upset him. We’ve gone to his friends’ parties, and – understatement warning – rarely does he enjoy himself much. Strange places, crowds, noise, lots of running kids, etc. just don’t do for him, which I can understand. We go because we feel like he needs some practice at social events, but we know when he’s had enough and adjust accordingly. I can’t remember any of his birthday parties where he didn’t just burrow into somebody’s shoulder most of the time.
The concept of presents to unwrap doesn’t seem to click with him either. His general lack of attachment to things doesn’t lend itself to being excited about gifts on his birthday, Christmas, or whenever. And in what seems endemic to autistic kids, he absolutely hates the Happy Birthday song. He covers his ears and retreats into himself. Somebody really needs to do a research study on this phenomenon.
So, we decided to forgo a birthday party for him this year and celebrate it more in his style rather than in the way I think people (and for a long time us, too) expect it should be. We bought him a new swing for the swing set outside, one with a high back and built almost like a small, plastic recliner. He can’t use kid swings because when he gets excited and stims out, he lets go of the swing and flies off. (Thank God for mulch…) Obviously he’s too big for a toddler bucket swing. This new one is rated up to at least 100 lbs and has a five-point harness.
The weather is supposed to be absolutely beautiful tomorrow afternoon when he gets home from school. (70s in early September?!) What will be our birthday party then? Swinging outside – just us and my dad. Simple gifts. But the kind he loves most of all.
These past few days have gone like that too – one small but unspeakably wonderful gift after another shining through even in the midst of the craziness of everyday life.
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