Saturday, 02 June 2012

• Speaking His Language

  
  
  
  I've had my preconceived notions when my son initially didn't respond as was expected.   

  Sure he was developing ok physically, but mentally and emotionally it was like something was missing.

  He tries to talk to me, but starts crying, as if his voice was taken away.

   

  I can see it in his hitting of the walls and furniture, and sometimes even my wife and I.

  He wants so desperately to share something with us, but struggles at times to get even a word or two out.

   

  It's like he's a foreigner visiting a country where their is no english translation.

   

  We strive our best to understand our children, but I know we get it wrong.   We think they want a glass of juice, but it was really milk.

  We speak louder and slower, as if it will actually help the situation.  In those moments I feel as though I'm the foreigner trying to ask for directions in a country I never visited before (and they don't speak english).

   

  We were talking to our son's teacher who shared with us another boy who's in his class.  It seems as though they could understand one another, as if they spoke the same language.   They'd play little tricks with each other and the teacher, and giggle and laugh about it when it happens.

   

  Remembering when I was in High School I took French as a foreign language.  Suffice it to say that was a long time ago, but now and then I come across someone speaking a dialect of french - and I can still understand some of the words.

  Maybe Autism is just a foreign language, and we people just have yet to understand it.  

   

  Where's that rosetta stone when you need it?

   

  Sometimes we live in a mind set of 'if only' I could help him.   If only I could 'fix' him....

   

  I've realized that in order to communicate better with my son, I have to first 'fix' myself.

  My attitude, my approach, my thought process....

   

  Maybe we are being prompted to 'fix' ourselves.   Maybe my son is the normal one and we're all a bit crazy....

   

  Well, my journey continues in this process to understand my son more.

   

  Do you find yourself at a loss at speaking your child's language?

   

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