Anita Renfroe, a stay-at-home mom turned youtube phe-mom-enon, captures one facet of motherhood that does seem to be universal: our tendency to remind with cliche comments. Judging from the erupting ovation at the end, everyone can relate to her tongue-twisting litany of phrases that our mothers used, that even we are tired of saying but are somehow unavoidable. Certainly, our family must have tuned them out in daily use!
Imagine for a moment how often and by how many different support people, our kids with autism are subjected to these and more "helpful" reminders. Is it any wonder so many of them develop aggressive tendencies as well? It must be a torture akin to hearing the William Tell Overture ringing repeatedly in your eardrums throughout your waking hours. For each of your IEP goals, to be prompted by every therapist, aide, and case manager who hovers over your shoulder, "what do you say?" "use your words," "hands by your side," "quiet hands," "regular voice," "no talking," "personal space," "do it the fast way," "how do you ask?" One begins to see the benefits of sign language and hand signals very quickly. Or PECS. Spare me the constant drip, drip, drip.
Let's get 'em all out there! What phrase has become a noisy gong at your house lately?
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; Proverbs 27:14-16
I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 2 Peter 1:12-14
Imagine for a moment how often and by how many different support people, our kids with autism are subjected to these and more "helpful" reminders. Is it any wonder so many of them develop aggressive tendencies as well? It must be a torture akin to hearing the William Tell Overture ringing repeatedly in your eardrums throughout your waking hours. For each of your IEP goals, to be prompted by every therapist, aide, and case manager who hovers over your shoulder, "what do you say?" "use your words," "hands by your side," "quiet hands," "regular voice," "no talking," "personal space," "do it the fast way," "how do you ask?" One begins to see the benefits of sign language and hand signals very quickly. Or PECS. Spare me the constant drip, drip, drip.
Let's get 'em all out there! What phrase has become a noisy gong at your house lately?
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; Proverbs 27:14-16
I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 2 Peter 1:12-14
"Why did God put us on earth?"
ReplyDelete;)
That deserves an explanation! We are lately going through a great presentation of the Shorter Catechism (Training Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade) as a family. I love it because of the repetition and memory work in a weekly devotional format of teaching foundations of the gospel.
ReplyDeleteActually, it's "What is man's primary purpose?" We're going to keep at it until you get it verbatim, Jim!
'What phrase has become a noisy gong at your house lately?'
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!