A big part of my job is working with kids who have attachment problems and miscue their needs to their parents. In other words, they need to connect with their parents, but such closeness is painful because of their traumas and losses so they push their parents away. We call this a miscue. Fortunately, Erica has no such problems communicating what she really wants. As an example, I present this little conversation on the way home from church.
Erica: I think I'm loosing my voice. (some slight coughs)
Daddy: Maybe you should take a nap this afternoon instead of just resting if you are getting tired.
Erica: Just say it's going to be ok. (Sounding like she was rolling her eyes.)
Daddy: It's gonna be ok.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Gum and Socks
Erica got up from her rest time today and wanted to change her clothes. No problem. I brought her a shorts outfit because I knew Russell had planned on taking her to the indoor playground. She wore a green shirt with a monkey and long brown shorts. She has to chatter non-stop whenever she gets up. It is almost as if she has to catch up from the 90 minutes she's been without an audience. I told her to please be quiet on the stairs. They echo and I didn't want her to wake up Mary Lane.
Erica whispered the entire way down the stairs, "But can I have some of my school candy? Can I have gum? Because I really like gum. Yeah, gum is really good."
She came to get her gum and offered some to Russell. She wants to share the gum experience. She hands the package back to me and says, "I really like gum."
Russell asked if she would like to go to the indoor playground. We expected a "Yippee" or some other audible remarks of excitement. She held her gum carefully in her mouth and nodded a HUGE nod. As hard as you can move your head up and down, she nodded "yes" to the playground.
"Can I keep my gum at the playground?" We tell her no, it isn't allowed and it could fall out and get all sticky. "Well I'll just keep it until I get there and maybe I'll leave it in the car."
Go potty, get some shoes on. "I think I'll wear my fancy shoes. I wear them every day. I really like them." I told her she had to wear socks on the playground. It's a rule there. So she found some socks, not necessarily supposed to be pulled up like knee-socks, but she pulled them all the way up. "I love these socks. See? They say 4-6. I can wear them when I'm six. But I wear them now because I wear fours."
She walked out with her Daddy, wearing her long brown shorts, bright pink knee-highs, sandals, and chewing that gum.
Erica whispered the entire way down the stairs, "But can I have some of my school candy? Can I have gum? Because I really like gum. Yeah, gum is really good."
She came to get her gum and offered some to Russell. She wants to share the gum experience. She hands the package back to me and says, "I really like gum."
Russell asked if she would like to go to the indoor playground. We expected a "Yippee" or some other audible remarks of excitement. She held her gum carefully in her mouth and nodded a HUGE nod. As hard as you can move your head up and down, she nodded "yes" to the playground.
"Can I keep my gum at the playground?" We tell her no, it isn't allowed and it could fall out and get all sticky. "Well I'll just keep it until I get there and maybe I'll leave it in the car."
Go potty, get some shoes on. "I think I'll wear my fancy shoes. I wear them every day. I really like them." I told her she had to wear socks on the playground. It's a rule there. So she found some socks, not necessarily supposed to be pulled up like knee-socks, but she pulled them all the way up. "I love these socks. See? They say 4-6. I can wear them when I'm six. But I wear them now because I wear fours."
She walked out with her Daddy, wearing her long brown shorts, bright pink knee-highs, sandals, and chewing that gum.
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