We use a lot of repetitive language in our family. Sometimes, I feel as if we are on that ever revolving hamster wheel, endlessly repeating the same words or phrase......
We also use a lot of non verbal language. It may be an expressive shrug of the shoulders, the raising of eyebrows or the sign for "I am feeling cross". It might be the twinkle in my eye that tells Nick that I am about to chase him. It could be the way in which he adjusts his body to engage with me. Perhaps it is his teeth tapping together, to ask, "Where is dad?" It is wonderful to be able to communicate in this way, but oh boy do we get some looks when out in public, especially when the same movement/sign is used again and again.
Nick makes the sign for “iPad”
I shake my head “no”
Nick makes the sign for “iPad”
I shake my head for “no”
5 minutes later
Nick makes the sign for “iPad”
I shake my head for “no”
I thought I would share some of our standard family comments, the ones that make us chuckle or say “oh my word, why does he keep doing that?”
“Don't touch your bum and then your lip with your finger, it looks weird!”
(Not so cool when out in public!)
“Yes, you do need to wash your hands!”
(How many times do I have to say this?)
Please stop flapping my underarm.
(I have to chuckle, otherwise I would cry with despair at growing old!)
The meaning of his wave depends on the situation; it could mean hello or goodbye, although at times it can also mean #@#@ off
(This one gives me a good chuckle!)
“I am driving; keep your hands to yourself”
(He will insist on touching my hand, then the gear stick, then my hand... one of these days I am going to follow through with my threat to put him in the back seat!)
“You have already had two biscuits!”
(Typical kid thing pushing his luck)
“Hey Nick, how ya doing, I haven't had a hug all day”
(Thomas)
“Oh boy he has got hold of the TV remote again”
(Shake head)
“Stop stimming on the TV”
(Chuckling at his chuckles)
“Stop pulling on my face”
(Thomas)
“Ahhhhhh, family hug”
(Ahhhh, sweet)
“Psssssssst, Nick.... stop scratching your *_____* in public”
(Puberty is such fun, yeah right!!)
“Stop picking your nails”
(Sigh!)
“Dad is at work”
“Dad is at work”
“Dad is at work”
“Yes, we are going to fetch Thomas from school”
“We are going to ______’s house then school”
“Chill Nick, it is only a fly!”
“The toilet door is ALREADY closed”
(As Nick heads back to check the door for the second time!)
My response to comments made by J. Public.
“Really, honey on his lips will make him talk?”
“You wouldn't be able to do it?”
(What makes you think that I can?)
“Thank you; sometimes I don't know how I do it either!”
“Yes, he continues to make progress”
“He is fine, thank you for asking”
“It's ok, he is just saying hello”
(But then again, he could be saying _____*fill in the blank*)
“Really, I am not special, really....”
“Don't worry, it's ok, you weren't to know that when the trolley went into the back of your foot, that my child has special needs!”
“Nope, he doesn't talk”
(Although I have heard that honey on his lips might to the trick!)
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Oh yes, so many of these sound so familiar: the nail-picking is so bad in this house that I haven't had to cut his nails for years..and I have something similar to the driving problem - when I am looking up something on the laptop for him, he bobs up and down hanging on to the back of my chair and the jiggling drives me bananas
ReplyDeleteThe nail picking is a worry, it looks so sore!
DeleteThat jiggling would also drive me crazy!! The joys!! :)
Great list!
ReplyDeleteHoney? Well, someone tell the speech therapists, how silly of us all not to have realized why our kids don't talk. I can not believe someone told you that.
I could write a second lists of all the things everyone else has reminded me with their lists. Cameron always touches me while I am driving and I'm always saying - 'Don't touch - I'm driving'. Occassionally I do put him in the backseat to give me a break.
It was too funny for words, to be fair on the poor woman... she meant well!
DeleteI should put Nick in the back seat but he has this habit of tilting his head towards me and grinning... how can I resist that!! ;)
Cam leans his head on my shoulder. I sometimes wonder what other drivers are thinking. To be honest we have lived our lives in the car and we have our own little ways together in the car.
ReplyDeleteHAHA - yes great list!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you AutismWonderland! :)
ReplyDeleteI delight in telling people about the waving just to see what their reaction is!!!!
Great list and some of it sounds familiar! Of course you've read the things my boy says in public!!
DeleteAnd I get repititive stuff too and the jiggling around when he waits for me to do stuff for him. It is SO distracting I simply can't think!
xx Jazzy
Hi Jazzy
DeleteSoooooo distracting! I do admit to losing the plot on occasion!!
Ha, your cupboards are just like mine! ;)
I TOTALLY hear you
ReplyDeleteSome of these make me LOL
Hi K, most of them make me laugh... we so need to have a sense of humour! :)
DeleteWe say "Don't nag" alot. Several people in our family nag. Today, we were reading about a boy doing his chores better than usual because he was planning to run away. It mentioned how he never worked that hard and his aunt had to nag alot. Pamela said, "Don't nag!" and cracked up at our family phrase!
ReplyDeleteTammy, I love hearing your Pamela stories, they really make my day. :)
DeleteWe share a good 3/4 of these phrases/events.
ReplyDeleteIt's heartening to read, really!
:)
We do?
DeleteSo pleased to hear that I am not alone. I am now trying to figure out which ones we share!! :D