This is a little story about Gabriel, something that happened last Thursday.
You need to know that my daughter goes to preschool and almost everyday, if she behaves, she gets a little toy to bring home from the "treasure box" from her classroom.
So happened that Gabriel used to go to the same classroom with the same teacher few years back. Since we moved him to the autism center, he really misses the "treasury box" toy every day and became obsessed with what his sister brings home, at the point that my daughter started to bring home toys that might like him for then her (I know, she's a sweetheart!).
Since I do want my daughter to enjoy her toys and understand that she deserved them for her good conduct, I tried to distract Gabriel on other things, bringing him a snack when I pick him up from school. He seemed to enjoy that. Or so I thought.
Last Thursday we were in the car on the way home and as usual my daughter was showing her toy to her brother. With my surprise, when she asked him if he wanted it, he answered no and said that he got some toys too. So, here he goes, pulling some tiny toys from the pocket of his pants. I immediately asked him how he got them and he told me the teacher gave it to him.
But something didn't smelled right.
Couple of hours later, my neighbor that also happened to be Gabriel's teacher, passed by my house walking her dog and of course talking among other things, I questioned her about the toys that Gabriel brought home and how I didn't believed him. Of course, I was right! I called my boy outside and at the sight of his teacher, he came out with his hands sticking forward ready to surrender his toys.
I was mortified! I was right, my kid stole toys from his school. Or course, me and the teacher lectured him about how bad that was and that the toys should stay in school for all the kids to enjoy and he shouldn't take stuff without asking and not lie to mommy and blah blah blah.
A very sad kid run inside to hide and his mama wished she could do it too.
With my relief, the teacher didn't do a big fuss about it, she actually winked at me and told me that she understood what I was feeling and I was right about explaining to Gabriel that wasn't ok, but she also told me that this is a behavior of a typical developed 7 years old and not the behaviors of a child with autism. Was obviously planned ahead with "almost"(teacher/neighbor excluded) all the details worked out.
In the mortification and the shame, my heart was a bit lighter with hope for yet another step forward a full recovery.
And here I'm standing, between hope and mortification for a little bit longer.
You need to know that my daughter goes to preschool and almost everyday, if she behaves, she gets a little toy to bring home from the "treasure box" from her classroom.
So happened that Gabriel used to go to the same classroom with the same teacher few years back. Since we moved him to the autism center, he really misses the "treasury box" toy every day and became obsessed with what his sister brings home, at the point that my daughter started to bring home toys that might like him for then her (I know, she's a sweetheart!).
Since I do want my daughter to enjoy her toys and understand that she deserved them for her good conduct, I tried to distract Gabriel on other things, bringing him a snack when I pick him up from school. He seemed to enjoy that. Or so I thought.
Last Thursday we were in the car on the way home and as usual my daughter was showing her toy to her brother. With my surprise, when she asked him if he wanted it, he answered no and said that he got some toys too. So, here he goes, pulling some tiny toys from the pocket of his pants. I immediately asked him how he got them and he told me the teacher gave it to him.
But something didn't smelled right.
Couple of hours later, my neighbor that also happened to be Gabriel's teacher, passed by my house walking her dog and of course talking among other things, I questioned her about the toys that Gabriel brought home and how I didn't believed him. Of course, I was right! I called my boy outside and at the sight of his teacher, he came out with his hands sticking forward ready to surrender his toys.
I was mortified! I was right, my kid stole toys from his school. Or course, me and the teacher lectured him about how bad that was and that the toys should stay in school for all the kids to enjoy and he shouldn't take stuff without asking and not lie to mommy and blah blah blah.
A very sad kid run inside to hide and his mama wished she could do it too.
With my relief, the teacher didn't do a big fuss about it, she actually winked at me and told me that she understood what I was feeling and I was right about explaining to Gabriel that wasn't ok, but she also told me that this is a behavior of a typical developed 7 years old and not the behaviors of a child with autism. Was obviously planned ahead with "almost"(teacher/neighbor excluded) all the details worked out.
In the mortification and the shame, my heart was a bit lighter with hope for yet another step forward a full recovery.
And here I'm standing, between hope and mortification for a little bit longer.
