Originally Posted by tweetee
My son has high functioning autism as well he is 8, and it sounds like him and your your young Zach are from the same groove.
You descibe him so well, and I see alot of my son there.
My boy is also incrediby sweet, and comes out with the funniest of things sometimes. He is a real cuddlebum with me, for some some reason cant stand it when anyone else tries to kiss him or cuddle him.
My son is a whizz on the computer, teaches me how to do alot of things on it, and then is sooo proud of himself becasue he can teach something, he goes around telling anyone who will listen what he did. He does have the occasional meltdown, but we always use distraction to try and head it off before it gets that bad. He is in a mainstream school but also has an aide to help him to understand. His writting and spelling is not that good, but he loves to read, and is already reading novels on his own. Typing on the computer he is amazing as well.
I love my boy to bits, and I wouldnt have him any other way. He is very special to me in so many ways, with his quirky behavior, which he amplifies when it makes me laugh. All he seems to want to do when I am around is please me and make me laugh which he strives to do. The best gift I can give him is to laugh at his jokes, or pranks (which he plays on my DH all the time)because it makes him soooo visibly happy. Material things mean nothing to him, but give him a smile and you have just given him the world.
You are an incredible mom! It takes a strong person to deal with all a parent with an autistic or handicapped child has to go through! I am so proud of my daughter and the way she is raising Zach. She insists he has to be held responsible for his actions now that he has learned cause and effect. He didn't have that concept til about 2 yrs ago. So any discipline just confused him. Now we can give him options but that wasn't the case for so long. When we decided he was understanding-- it was so funny the first time I lightly swatted him on the rear and sat him in time out on a chair. He looked at me in amazement and said YOU SPANKED ME!! He was just floored that I disciplined him! His face was sooo funny! It was barely a swat - but up til then I redirected only and didn't confront him with his misdeeds! LOL It took several times of my putting him in timeout and holding him there no matter how mad he got before he got it that I wasn't giving up. I have had to move the time out to our bed as it makes more of an impression on him that he isn't going to sweet talk or scream his way out of trouble! LOL It does make my heart melt tho when he goes up to hug Papa in his wheelchair and with tears streaming down his face ask him-Am I done now?? I'm sorry I'm sorry!!
But I insist he calm himself down and listen to me as to what he got in trouble for. He has to repeat it back to me so I know he understands and hopefully remembers!! LOL