It’s Not Out of Sight, Out of Mind
July 19, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
The report from Charlie’s teacher about me being away: Tough ride on the bus after Jim put him on and then crying, described with the adjective “plaintive.” They worked on having him say “I’m sad.” In the afternoon, it took awhile for him to settle to do speech therapy though he’d been looking forward to seeing his speech therapist since last week when she had to cancel at the last minute. (Unbeknownst to her, she’d been exposed to an illness a child had at the school she was working at and she didn’t know until someone told her; she is okay.) He and Jim biked to Charlie’s favorite hamburger stand.
No, said Charlie.
They went to McDonald’s.
Another no.
They went home and got into the car which must, like Frosty’s hat, have some magic in it. They went back to the hamburger stand and Charlie got his usual hamburger and fries, and revealed to Jim how much ketchup it is possible to squeeze onto a very average hamburger bun.
Yes, I usually watch the ketchup bottle—–Charlie watched for me at the window and, for a very long time, refused to budge from his perch on the couch.
Believe me, it’s good to know you’re missed, and that you’ll be back home, soon. And that you’ve got (as my dad declared) such a lovable kid.
yes. SUCH a lovable kid.
have a fantastic time out at BlogHer, Krisitina! i wish i could be there, taking in the sites and meeting all your fabulous women!
Have a blast, they’ll survive. I wonder how much you’ll have to ‘pay’ on return?
Cheers
Just the price of admission!
Wish you were here——
Poor Charlie. I guess it’s another opportunity to learn to label emotions, connecting the word with a strong feeling… at least that’s what I tell myself when my little guy is going through tough times. Always looking for the good within the bad.
Hang tough and have fun!
Makes my heart break and swell at the same time. Hope your trip is great — I know your welcome home when it’s over will be!
Charlie is lovable but also loving and loved.
I wonder if he if feeling what we call “a disturbance in the Force”. I hope the fellas have a good weekend and I bet you will come home to a boy very happy to see his mom and get some mom time in.
I did not take extended trips or really travel at all, for years, then within a couple of years I had personal situations that required being away for a week or two at a time. We talked about it and put pictures on the calendar to show when I would be back and planned a few favorite things to take the edge off. The first time was rough on Eleanor for a couple of days, the second time not so much, and now she handles it pretty gracefully although it’s only once or twice a year.
Have a great conference and safe trip home.
Have fun on your trip! You deserve the time “off”!
I have never had this problem with Bug. I think maybe because we have just gone and done whatever since he was born, it’s “routine” for us to go places. That’s alone, or as a family. Maybe that’s a good thing, to make routine life “routine”…
And WHY do “professionals” persist in saying autistics have not TOM or can’t make social and emotional connections or express themsleves?? Chralie does them all so beautifully in his own way.
I hope the BlogHer session went well and you had fun. I know both your guys will be glad to have you home. Isn’t it nice to be missed?