Today, while Brook was in class, Gage and I went to the park...twice. Once so I could walk with my friend Jamie and again after he'd completed a math sheet at the library, so we could play frisbee. On our second trip and after we'd tossed the frisbee for a good 20 min. some other kids showed up with their grandmother (she was probably 50). Anyway, I was seemingly distracted pressing buttons on my new phone, checking email, etc. but listening to everything! Gage is getting older and doesn't want mom hanging around too much interfering but I laid low and observed for a bit. I watched as he stood on top of the slide and he looked down at the grandmother who was talking to her cute little granddaughter crossing the bridge behind Gage to come slide. Gage thought she was talking to him since her face was pointed in his direction. She wore over sized shades and this always poses a problem for him who is currently lip reading, he needs the whole face usually to get it all. He says "what?" to her and she didn't hear him or ignored him, and she continued to talk to her granddaughter who now stood behind Gage. I said nothing as she asked him "are you gonna slide or not?" He again said "What?" with a confused look on his face. She said "Are you gonna slide, I have one waiting to slide!" In a very irritated voice. I took one step forward, heart pounding as a quick thought of knocking her upside the head entered my mind. No one likes to hear ANYONE get annoyed or speak rudely to your own kids. About five or six years ago, I likely would have let her have it with a few choice words. Today, not so much. I've learned not to leave people (ignorant people) with the idea that we parents "have issues" with our children who aren't exactly like everyone else. I took another step as Gage glanced at me wondering why this lady was talking to him and what she actually wanted. As her attitude showed in her voice, I spoke from behind her (she didn't realize I was listening) in a "don't you know he's deaf lady, have you ever heard of people who can't hear" kinda voice...."Come on baby, you can slide" as I waved my hand up to him as if she wasn't talking to him. He slid down resuming play and fun before he was interrupted. I said directly to her "He has no idea what you were saying, he can't hear, he can't hear a thing!" and I smiled an continued to talk and play with Gage as if we were the only ones there. He went back up to slide again and this time her hearing grandchild blocked the slide even when she heard Gage say "just one more time Mama" as he approached from behind her. I said nothing but turned my head quickly to the "lady" who had just corrected my child. I told Gage "hurry" as in run that kid over we gotta go! And the lady told her grandchild to either slide or move out of his way. It all worked out, she got to keep her limbs (because I was in a good mood) and Gage didn't see his Mom blow up because of a communication gap.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Keeping Your Cool...even when it's hard
Today, while Brook was in class, Gage and I went to the park...twice. Once so I could walk with my friend Jamie and again after he'd completed a math sheet at the library, so we could play frisbee. On our second trip and after we'd tossed the frisbee for a good 20 min. some other kids showed up with their grandmother (she was probably 50). Anyway, I was seemingly distracted pressing buttons on my new phone, checking email, etc. but listening to everything! Gage is getting older and doesn't want mom hanging around too much interfering but I laid low and observed for a bit. I watched as he stood on top of the slide and he looked down at the grandmother who was talking to her cute little granddaughter crossing the bridge behind Gage to come slide. Gage thought she was talking to him since her face was pointed in his direction. She wore over sized shades and this always poses a problem for him who is currently lip reading, he needs the whole face usually to get it all. He says "what?" to her and she didn't hear him or ignored him, and she continued to talk to her granddaughter who now stood behind Gage. I said nothing as she asked him "are you gonna slide or not?" He again said "What?" with a confused look on his face. She said "Are you gonna slide, I have one waiting to slide!" In a very irritated voice. I took one step forward, heart pounding as a quick thought of knocking her upside the head entered my mind. No one likes to hear ANYONE get annoyed or speak rudely to your own kids. About five or six years ago, I likely would have let her have it with a few choice words. Today, not so much. I've learned not to leave people (ignorant people) with the idea that we parents "have issues" with our children who aren't exactly like everyone else. I took another step as Gage glanced at me wondering why this lady was talking to him and what she actually wanted. As her attitude showed in her voice, I spoke from behind her (she didn't realize I was listening) in a "don't you know he's deaf lady, have you ever heard of people who can't hear" kinda voice...."Come on baby, you can slide" as I waved my hand up to him as if she wasn't talking to him. He slid down resuming play and fun before he was interrupted. I said directly to her "He has no idea what you were saying, he can't hear, he can't hear a thing!" and I smiled an continued to talk and play with Gage as if we were the only ones there. He went back up to slide again and this time her hearing grandchild blocked the slide even when she heard Gage say "just one more time Mama" as he approached from behind her. I said nothing but turned my head quickly to the "lady" who had just corrected my child. I told Gage "hurry" as in run that kid over we gotta go! And the lady told her grandchild to either slide or move out of his way. It all worked out, she got to keep her limbs (because I was in a good mood) and Gage didn't see his Mom blow up because of a communication gap.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I hope I can handle future "issues" with such grace! That was the perfect way to handle that sort of situation. I'm glad we haven't run into too many of these type situations yet!
LOL! Val your amazing! keep it up girl...
You are really Super Mom, Val!!! Just reading your post I was getting irritated and anxious to hear what you said to her! lol
Way to keep your cool (and keep Grandma unharmed)!!
you know as I read this...i think even myself now in the car or in the store..especially when it comes to autism and meltdowns.. you should never assume to get upset at someone ie: gage at the slide, kid throwing a tantrum, or someone who didn't go thru the light when they clearly could have and gotten you to your destination 15 seconds sooner. If everyone did a bit more breathing... and bit more grace... You show that so well!! I need to do it more. and even this lady- who knows what was going on w/ her..kwim? clearly she was wrong..and irritating.. but who knows what was in her day..kwim? keeping cool is always the answer.
Post a Comment