Shadowing Nick: New Routines

I watch Nick as he learns to maneuver the campus.

Nick has started his second semester at the local community college.  He’s taking classes on two different campuses.  He is somewhat nervous.  His schedule has changed, so he needs to establish new habits and routines.

We start with an introduction and rehearsal.  Nick has a print out of a map.  We visit each campus, pointing out landmarks.  We find his classrooms and write down what days and times he will be in that classroom.  We then find the closest bathrooms and drinking fountain.

A few days later, we visit the campus again, but he leads.  He finds the location.  I shadow him.  If he gets lost, I follow.  If he gets discouraged, he calls me.  I try to point out landmarks if necessary until he can find the classroom.

We may do this exercise a few times.  Once he is comfortable, I then drop him off and find a place to sit on campus.  He maneuvers his way independently.  I am still close if he needs me, but I am not following.

Eventually, he will be able to follow the new schedule on his own.  He learns it much quicker than he did in high school.  However, Nick still experiences anxiety and stress.  Ironically, no matter where his classes are, he learns where the local coffee joint is.  He can chill with coffee anytime!

Christmas: Meshing the Secular with the Spiritual

How does a “Good Catholic” rectify celebrating Christmas with The Nativity and Santa Claus?  My answer is simple:  Easy… after years of practice! 
My dad calls Santa Claus the Father of Socialism:  a kid gets something for nothing and that is a bad lesson for anyone, let alone kids.  My cousin claims that Santa is Satan in disguise.  He represents greed and materialism.  My response is no; Santa is the opposite.  He is a saint.  He gives and expects nothing in return.
I can see how some people do not understand how we give our children presents from Santa, yet we profess that Christmas is about the birth of Christ.  My husband is agnostic, and three of my five boys have autism.  I have to mix my spiritual beliefs with a secular outlook in order to include all of my family members.
When asked years ago, my husband said that celebrating Christmas is the right thing to do.  He grew up associating family with Christmas, and it was always celebrated, but I needed to ensure that my boys understood the true meaning of Christmas.   I taught my boys what Christmas is—the birthday of Christ.  We incorporated the simplest rituals of a birthday:  baking a cake, singing Happy Birthday, and giving of presents. 
We then delved into who was Santa.  Our boys learned the history of Santa, who was based on St. Nicholas. He was a Greek bishop back in the fourth century who lived in Asia Minor.  My boys learned the legend of St Nick’s gifts as a dowry for three daughters so they could be married.  However, I emphasized that he brought gifts, without thought of receiving anything in return.
One of my favorite ornaments is St. Nick bowing before the Christ Child.  This image clarifies everything:  Christ is the focus.  His birth, life, death, and resurrection is why we celebrate Christmas, and St. Nick lived his life as a Christian, witnessing the life of Christ.
As a family, we do much more to celebrate the birth of Christ.  We celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas because the season begins on December 25, not ends.  We add the Christ Child to our Nativity Scene on December 25 and leave it up until January 6.
It all comes down to Christ.  He brings us together.  He is why we celebrate. He is why St Nick brings us gifts.

Cameron’s First Job

Celebrating Cameron’s new job

Cameron got hired on the spot!!

Whoop Whoop!!

He cleaned up, put on a tie, and went to the mall.  He filled out the application, and interviewed.  Bam, hired.  Nice!!

Sounds easy, but Cam put in a lot of work prior to getting hired.  He scoured the internet looking for companies hiring.  He found one interviewing that day, so off he went.  However, Cameron had been looking for a job since school got out last May.  He has filled out several applications and interviewed a couple times.  All results were negative.  Quite often, he received a form letter, rejecting him because of his age.  He is not 18.  Sometimes, he didn’t get any notice at all.  Frustrating.

Rejection is not easy for anyone.  I have to admire Cameron for not giving up.  I know he applied to at least 20 companies before getting hired.  He did get frustrated at times, but ultimately, he kept applying.  I am glad he got the job, but he learned persistence.  That is better than the job!

Nick Transitions To College

Nick has completed six weeks of college.  He is enrolled in a reading class and a math class.  The reading is a “zero” level to help him adjust to collegiate level.  His math class is a 100 level.  Although his math placement test two years ago put him at a much lower level, this year he tested to place exactly where he wanted to be.

This is a huge step for Nick.  We prepared as we normally do whenever he goes somewhere new.  We found his classrooms and other important places on campuses.  His classes are on two different campuses.  We found his classrooms, bathrooms, tutoring, coffee shop, and places to hang out.  We did “dress rehearsals” to ensure that he could find his way from the parking lot to the classes.
While doing this, Nick met up with some old friends from high school.  That was a wonderful suprise, and very important to Nick.  He’s doing things that his peers are.  Seeing and conversing with them on campus gave Nick a boost of confidence, making the transition to college easier.
Go Nick!

Snooze or Do

Every morning, I wake up with two choices:  go back to “snooze” or get up to “do”.  Lately, I’ve been getting up earlier than usual.  Understand that I am not a morning person.  It is much easier for me to stay up until 3 am than to get up at 3 am.  However, those early moments of precious silence are critical for my own peace of mind. I can pay a few bills or plan dinner.  I can pray or exercise. I accomplish something before the gang gets up.

Getting up earlier than necessary is crazy to some, but every so often, that may be the only time moms get to be by themselves.  It is worth assessing if that might be helpful.  Of course, it does not have to happen daily, but once in a while, it can actually be a well deserved treat.

Ryan Turns 22

Ryan celebrates 22 years today.  What a young man he has become!

He has been living on his own for almost 18 months now.  We’re still working on some life skills, but he does have some success living in his own apartment.  He is currently looking for a job to get him financially independent.  Consequently,he’s learning to interview and has to speak about himself.  That is no easy task.  His want for earning his own keep is motivation to talk.  Yea.

So while the age of 22 brings no “milestone” that society would recognize, we are absolutely aware of Ryan’s 22nd year and living on his own.

Congrats, Ryan.  We are proud of you!

Dean and Uncles

Uncle Ryan and Uncle Nick take turns holding their nephew, Dean.  Having little ones around helps to bring out both the uncles. They don’t have to worry about miscommunication. All three can communicate without words. The lack of verbal communication eases Ryan and Nick’s existence, and smiles abound.

I have learned over the years to never underestimate silent communication. I find that it is more valuable than the spoken word. There is truth in the expression of a picture is worth a thousand words. Ryan rarely smiles, always guarding himself. 
I am amazed what an influence my grandson has on his uncles. Joy!

Happy 4th!

Several weeks back, Cameron, Nicholas, and I met up with my oldest sister’s classmate, William DeLuna.  He captains a fleet of boats.  He gave us a first class tour of the harbor and beyond.  The boys had never been sailing out in open water, so this was an adventure.  It did not take long for the boys to feel at home, and they dared to ask to steer the vessel.  The good captain agreed, and he was quite impressed with their navigation skills.  He exclaimed, “They’re naturals!”  No sea-sickness.  No squeamish stomachs.  Just a lot of fun!

I do have to give Captain Bill DeLuna kudos for taking us.  I advised him ahead of time of their history with autism, and that I had no idea how the boys would react,  Nick had severe sensory issues, and his communication could still be hampered at times.  Cameron had similar concerns, but no lack of communication.  The  Captain had no problems telling them what was permitted and what was not.  He went through the safety drill and rules.  Then the fun commenced.

We saw several dolphins, and we hoped for a whale or two.  The boys were thrilled to climb all over the boat and watch the sails go up and down.  They even had to dodge the sails a few times.  No one had to yell, “Man overboard,” so I was happy.

I was totally surprised that Nick and Cam took so easily to the ocean.  They felt at ease and thoroughly enjoyed the trip.  Incredible!

Going Out–Wow

Ryan, Nick, Cam

Last October my youngest three boys were invited to their first formal event, a friend’s quinceañera.  Yes, they’ve been to family weddings and other special occasions, but this invitation came from a friend, not family.  Talk about reactions:  one son was quiet, probably worried that he might have to talk with someone; another was excited because he loved to talk and dance; the third just smiled.

I coached each one as needed.  I gave one son some questions to ask if he felt uncomfortable around people.  The next I gave guidelines on staying on a given subject.  The third just smiled.  We also researched the event online, so they would know what to expect.  We went through the history as well as the rituals of the event.  They were prepared.

Ryan, Nick, and Cam dressed up and let me take pictures.  This was not common, and I could not believe my eyes.  My boys were not my little babies.  It just really hit me that they’ll be out in the world more and more.

The evening was a blast.  I wish more people could have seen them.  Too often, many are uncomfortable around autistic kids. My kids acted like everyone else. They laughed and danced, enjoying the festivities.  They were fine!

Hamburgers Vs French Fries

Cameron

Nick, Cameron, and I spent a few days in Tucson.  We found a restaurant that offered gluten free breads and buns as well as grass fed beef; foods we consume at home.  Awesome!  I didn’t have to cook.  They did not hesitate to order hamburgers, and they were happy about not having to get a lettuce wrap.  It was a TRUE hamburger!

Nick’s plate:  no fries


In the middle of dinner, I noticed how these boys attacked their food.  I laughed at how similar and different they were.  They both ordered hamburgers, but what they ate first differed.  Neither opted to sample the other food item on his plate until the first item was completely consumed.  NO mixing foods!  If you know Nick, fries are always the first to go!  For Cam, the burger was serious business!

Cam’s plate:  no hamburger


In the end, it did not matter what was eaten first.  Teen boys ate everything on their plates. Just a simple dinner out, but how I love just spending time with my boys!