It is a beautiful day. The sun is streaming through my kitchen window, autumn is now in full swing, and the leaves of burnished gold, crimson, and amber cover the trees. It truly is a magnificent time of year. I’d love to be out there enjoying the crisp morning air, but currently I’m nursing a very large coffee, and generally dragging myself around the house. Desperate to wake up so I can start my workday.
My l0 year old decided that 440 am was a perfectly respectable time to get up, and that I should be awake too.
Yes, no gentle wake up call for me today. Instead the dulcet tones of slime making videos playing full blast on YouTube TM heralded the arrival of a new day. More caffeine will definitely be required before this day is over.
In addition to my daughter getting out of bed at the crack of dawn, she has also discovered this is the best time to get into other people’s belongings, as everyone is asleep.
Today’s antics involved a can of my son’s shaving cream being slathered all over the top of the bathroom vanity and toilet, with a small sprinkling also applied to the inside of the shower curtain. Not a bad bit of mischief before 5am, if I do say so myself.
She is definitely someone who likes to try new things. One morning I woke up to find water flowing across my kitchen floor, and discovered her jumping in the puddles. My bathroom is located next to the kitchen, and she had clearly taken the entire roll of tissue and stuffed it in the toilet, using the brush like a giant spoon to mix up her concoction, and then laid it against the side of the bowl. Needless to say we can no longer keep extra toilet paper in the bathroom.
Some people might say, “why don’t you just lock the bathroom door, problem solved”, but the thing is, the problem is not solved. I have been reminding my daughter to go to the toilet when she feels the need. It’s important for her to tune into her body, and this is also another way I hope to encourage independent behaviour. By locking the door, it will just create a ripple effect, and result in her going to the bathroom somewhere you definitely don’t want.
As a parent of a child with autism, one thing I have realized, is that no matter how prepared I think I am, there is always something else about to happen just around the corner, so I’ve learned to take a deep breath, smile and enjoy the ride. One thing is for certain, life is never dull.
And friends, don’t forget next time you visit, remember to bring your own roll, and take it back home with you!