On behalf of.........

I have a special friend that I have known for roughly four and a half years. Way back then she brought her little boy to visit our new school 'Kids First'.  This little boy (I am going to call him David!) was the cutest package you ever did see.  A mop of hair and a chubby round face......... he was also extremely fast like lightening, busy, noisy, screechy, obsessed with sharks and any other rubbery feeling fishy toy. This little guy really touched my heart - he was the type of kid that I just wanted to grab onto and hold tight - of course, never in a million years would he let me do this!!!  Or so I thought at the time :)

Over the years I have come to know David and his mum extremely well. His mum is to be much admired, she is the most patient person I have ever met and believe me she has a lot on her plate!  David is now seven years old and he is still the most adorable child. He has a few words, he can still be quite screechy but he is a lot easier to connect with than when he was two and a half.  It has taken me a long time to build a relationship with this little boy but I think he likes me now!!!!  At least now he doesn't run away from me, he will happily be pulled into a tickle game of some sort and I can get him into my arms!  :-)

Something happened yesterday that his Mum said I should write about in the name of awareness!  Our boy (David, not Nick!!) has spent most of the summer in the swimming pool; his idea of bliss is being naked and wet!  In fact I think he found his place at Mbona - we went there for a weekend, just the mums and boys.  As soon as David saw the dam, he tore off his clothes and went racing in that direction - it was rather difficult to get him away from the water and back into his clothes!  I still have visions of his mum racing up and down the shore line and me standing there watching and holding onto her third child!

Well yesterday, my friend had to visit one of the largest and busiest stores at this time of the year, that's right - the dreaded school uniform store.  Ok, it is organised chaos but it is still CHAOS.  The place was chocka block full, kids running around, irritated mothers, the noise level would have been high.  When you are a little person looking up - the feeling of having people towering over you must be very scary.  Even more scary when you are a little boy who has major sensory issues.  I think it must have got too much for our little boy.  He stripped off ALL of his clothes and began to shriek.  This is the phone message I received from my friend “Had to tell u! Took Jack and David to Gem in Overport.  It was jam packed with people.  David does a strip show and proceeds to flap around screeching!!!! The whole shop was in hysterical laughter.  Think I also need a venting blog or write a book on embarrassing moments, certainly had my share"  

Oh, it is very easy to laugh and perhaps it helped diffuse the situation which I am sure was very embarrassing. These things happen in our life, more so for my friend than me and it is so hard to deal with this day in day out.  I am not sure how I would have reacted in this situation - my friend was lucky in that her child headed towards the changing rooms and she managed to corner him, get him dressing and then she ran like the wind!

Shame my friend, I think that would be my worst nightmare and if I was having a bad day and people were laughing all around me I would probably have started crying.  Knowing you, you would have handled it extremely well and with dignity - I can just see the smile you would have put on your face.  As soon as school is back we are heading to the nearest coffee shop for a large cappuccino and a good giggle! xx