Today is Community Skills at school. It is when the staff takes the class out into the Community to teach them to shop, count money, and try to establish some self help skills they will need later in life if they have the ability to live on their own.
Xavier has not been going on Community Skills this year due to his aggressive behavior, so today he will be staying back at school.
Yeah, I know, they cant do that by law, but considering how extreme he has been acting this year, I am ok with him hanging out at school especially since he gets more than enough Community Skills at home...
I like to shop and yes, most times I drag Xavier along with me.
That boy can unload groceries from a trunk twice as fast as his big brother and is a very good cart driver..;-)
That is when he is not trying to hop on the back and take a ride or slide down the aisle, but what kid/preteen doesn't do that..?
So today, Xavier is all cool, until he realizes that not only will he stay back from Community Skills, but it is also picture day.
So most people that know me, know I love, love taking pics of my boys..
Hey they are my babies and plus I think they are so handsome, but I am biased right?
Also, unlike a lot of children with Autism, Xavier takes pictures pretty well. He did better when he was younger, but I think now that he has gotten older, he is not real sure how to smile and kinda fakes it more, than when he was younger and just tickled..
More so, I used my camera and a mirror early on with Xavier to get him to make "EYE CONTACT" with me.
He loved lights and the flash on the camera always got his attention.
I would also stand him on my bathroom sink and point to the "boy" in the mirror and that would also catch his eye.
Not sure when but later on he started to realize the boy was moving " in sync" with him in the mirror was his own reflection, thus began his now obsession with Mirrors.. ( and most people think he is just vain) as he cant walk past one today without looking at himself! LOL !
So today after he gets dressed, I realize his school picture day is today and not on the 10th as I had thought! YIKES!!
So I am trying to get Xavier to wear something different to school for pictures.. I knew this would be a task because usually I gradually change his clothing for school as the seasons start to change.
We start off in Shorts and T shirts or short sleeve polo's
Then we go to long pants (sweats) and short sleeve polo's and t shirt
or shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt.
Next we go to both long pants (sweats) or jeans and long sleeve shirts.
Then we had a windbreaker or light jacket and then on
to sweats and a real coat ( by then it is November or December )
Yes, I have to be that methodical with it....
THAT'S AUTISM..
Please don't ask what I have to do to get him to wear a new pair of shoes! I literally hide the old ones!! and that is just the beginning..
A few weeks ago when all of sudden it got cooler too soon, I had him put on a pair of jeans instead of his normal shorts and t-shirt and got a call from school an hour later saying that he was standing in the Sensory room in his undies asking for another pair of pants...!!!
Yall remember that? That was the day I took him home...
So here we are , he in his khaki Izod shorts and T shirt and me trying to figure out how I can dress this up a little.... I start bringing down long sleeve T's to see if maybe I can match something to his Camouflage sneakers ..?
I am asking him to try them on and his only response is "NO" ..
So I am bribing him with Gorilla Munch Cereal and he is still not going there.
Finally he agrees to put on a vest he wore for recent Family pics over the t-shirt and at least looks like he is going to play golf..
I am content because he didnt have a major melt down and I think he is just happy I am about to leave him alone.
Lets just hope he remembers to Smile...;-)
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