I haven't been aware just how much Jono really is aware of routine, if we go for a drive he's pretty relaxed, doesn't need to know where we are going. We don't have a regular day for shopping, we don't have regular after school activities, we mostly let things flow on the weekends and he's ok with it.
This week, not so.
Generally we have channel 10 on in the evenings, and he has recently let us know that simpsons is on at 6:00pm, he points to the clock and says the time, and settles in to watch out of one eye while playing on the computer.
This week Sarah has had an ear infection and wasn't allowed to swim, so she's been watching some other shows in the afternoon while the boys have been in the pool.
One afternoon she watched her show right past simpsons time and Jono wasn't watching the time. At 6:30, when Sarahs show finished, he came to me with the tv controller and asked 'Simpsons... On... Mummy?'
I looked him in the eyes and said ' no honey, it's too late, simpsons is finished'
At first he didn't seem to understand what I was saying... Then it started to dawn on him. I could see his face as recognition happened, his eyes went downcast, his mouth fell open and his face fell through the floor.
We spent the next 30 minutes to an hour in tears of dissapointment and frustration. I asked him if he wanted me to get simpsons from the video store (as if we need any more in our lives) but that didn't make sense.
He paced the back yard, yelled at the dogs, cried and eventually settled. Then he spent the rest of the night saying 'Simpsons on tomorrow'
Poor boy, routine... In tv at least, obviously matters to him. The next night there was a double simpsons episode, and life was good again.
I'm new to your blog, so I don't know how old Jonos is, but I love him already. My eldest daughter has ADD, which is nothing like Autism, but I sure remember the necessity of routine. Even minute changes like turning right instead of left made all the difference in the world.
ReplyDeleteIt must mean a lot to see him aware of routine, though. Gives you a little more insight into that precious mind.
Hi Genevieve, thanks for your comments, Jono is 8 (9 soon) and my other 2 will be 7 and 11 this year.
ReplyDeleteI think we are becoming more aware of what he is aware of and what he figures are the right things to be happening in the day. It's learning for all of us :)
Karen