Posted by Catherine, the redhead mom blogger on Mar 14, 2010 in Brian and Mom
Just look at mine.
I think I had nice, matching glasses at one time. I just don’t remember. It’s been so long. My best ones probably died a noble death under the far corner of my son’s bed – a place I will never go.
I can hear myself saying in the future, “Would you like your glass of wine in a Tippy cup or Slurpee cup?” I suppose the answer would depend upon how much that person drinks.
(Sigh) Yes, I have plastic colored straws too. . .
Posted by Catherine, the redhead mom blogger on Feb 28, 2010 in Brian, Videos
Years back some of you may remember when I finally got my answer as to what was going on with my son Brian’s learning. He was diagnosed with APD. When the Dr. read to me the common characteristics of these kids, I felt like she knew my son almost as well as I did.
Finally I had answers, and set forth a plan which allowed my son to thrive in school. Kids like my son with APD do not have a loss of hearing sensitivity, but have a hearing problem in the sense that they do not process auditory information normally.
This meant that everyone was now a tutor Brian, from my mother, my ex-husband to me. As I worked with Brian to help him come up with modifications to assist his learning (like always sitting at the front of class) I felt his APD was also more of a way he looked at the world, and a way in which he thought about how the world around him works.
He hates to write, but can tell stories. He loves Math and excels at it. He loves Honors Science and is fascinated by space. Reading bores him, but he can win a new video game in 24 hours. He likes computers, music, weight lifting, building stacks of things and drawing. He loves to work on comedy and is always trying to twist comebacks into something that gets a belly laugh. He has an amazing ability to memorize entire movies right down to quoting what was said. He likes anything that is new that challenges the way he thinks.
Sometimes his thoughts move faster than he can get them out of his mouth. His father and I have to remind him to take a breath so that is lips can catch up to the story he is sharing.
He is always in his head. It must be an amazing place.
Through all these years I have tried to understand why his mind works the way it does, and the other night I began to watch the new TED video releases from TED2010. By happenstance I clicked on one called, Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds.
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world. She talks about how her mind works in this video. She shares her ability to “think in pictures,” which helps her solve problems that neuro-typical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.
HBO has produced a full-length film on telling her story. She fascinates me, and gave me the answer to how my son’s brain works. After watching her video, I asked Brian how he sees problems and solves them. He casually answered, “I see them as images projected side by side or as random patterns I pull together into a clear picture.”
Oh.
My son thinks in patterns and pictures. No wonder he hates to write. He is not a bad writer, he just hates it.
This week instead of my usual parenting humor, I am sharing the TED video, because the world needs to understand how different minds work, especially those of our emerging children. And if you are struggling with your child in school, maybe this video will help you open up a conversation about how they view the world, and you may be lucky enough to gain an understanding of how their mind works. Trust me, you are in for a fun ride.
She is brilliant.
It gives us hope for the future. How I love TED videos.
Posted by Catherine, the redhead mom blogger on Feb 21, 2010 in Puzzled
Brian have you fed the dog?
My feet are cold.
—
Brian can you take the garbage out now?
There’s something weird on the floor over here.
—
Brian is your homework done?
We had to run the mile in PE today.
—
Brian, can you come lift this for me?
Did Alex call?
—
Brian, we need to be leaving now. Are you ready?
Mom, John said he could beat me arm wrestling at school, but he couldn’t, and Mrs. Lewis said we weren’t funny. But it was, you know? And then I said hey, and he said hey. (laughter) So funny huh mom?
—
Brian how are your grades in school?
I’m hungry.
—
Brian how was school today?
My back itches.
—
Or should I just be grateful he is talking to me at all?
Posted by Catherine, the redhead mom blogger on Feb 7, 2010 in It's A Mom's Life
We parents always want our kids to have a different childhood than we did.
We want it better, funner and without cavities or braces.
Does it ever work out that way for anyone?
I was thinking about this today when my 14 year old son was being dropped off for a Super bowl party where his parents would not be in attendance. Yes, there was a responsible parent burning hamburgers and overseeing 8 young high school men about to drink 48 soft drinks and eat 24 bags of chips, but some of them are seniors.
You know, senior boys.
Boys with cars and drivers licenses.
Those kind of seniors.
Hear that? It’s the sound of my right eye still twitching.
It hasn’t stopped since 2:00 this afternoon.
But ohhhhhhh, I had to be the mom who wanted a different high school experience for her son, rather than the miserable one she had. Be careful what you wish for parents.
And yes, you will become your mother.
So today boredom forced my son out of the house (OK it was really me). He wandered down to the high school with his football in tow and ended up running into some of the high school football team.
They actually played outside in the sun. (gasp)
When they couldn’t bear being away from a video game controller for a second longer, they invited Brian over for a Super bowl party.
“Can I come too?”
“Mom!”
(Picture big rolling eyes at this moment).
So there I am, left to drop him off with a cell phone, an iTouch with a GPS system, his wallet with information on how to find his parents. This party has cases of coke, root-beer and a table full of chip bags. I fear he might never come home.
Milk and orange juice can sometimes be cool too you know.
OK fine – he doesn’t think so either.
I manage to call only once at half time to see if he is hungry and wants to come home for dinner.
No answer.
Big shock there.
I call my ex.
“Leave him alone, he’s fine.”
Now I know why I divorced that man. He’s too rational.
My mother comes for Super bowl dinner, and I tell her Brian is at his first party of his high school life. She looks at me like I just told her tomorrow is Monday.
I manage to be entertaining, but what took those damn Saints so long to win and end the game?
Didn’t they know I had a teenage son to force into coming home?
2 seconds after the Saints make their final touchdown . . .
I call my ex-husband.
“Are you getting him now?”
“I’m in front of the house as we speak.”
“Call me when he is in the car.”
“We are only 5 minutes away. By the time you answer he will be home.”
He really tests my patience with his reason.
In less than the time it takes to say, “Dinner is ready!” Brian is bounding through the door.
“Hi mom! That was great! The Saints won!”
“I know! You had fun?”
“Yeah, but I’m starving. Did you make dinner?”
“Yes.”
Relief floods over my body.
“Mom? I think I want to go over there again next weekend.”
Now, if I could just get this eye to stop twitching . . .
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