Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Kevin Being Kevin

Friday night Fern went off on a sleepover so Dan, Kevin and I headed out to play par-three golf. It was the first time I'd played in a while and since Dan and I were playing Monday, I thought it was good to get some practice in. Monday was Columbus Day, the only true "federal holiday," of the school year, a federal holiday for us, a school day for the kids. But I digress, back to golf.

For Kevin we brought a putter and a 6-iron. He'd tee off with his six and sometimes he'd hit it well, forty or fifty yards, other times only five. He would run ahead and hit his ball again and again until it was on the green, always running from shot to shot. Since it was late in the day, I didn't bother the other players when I had to holler at Kevin to stop and wait for us when he got his ball on the green. He enjoys things like that so much, it's nice to watch him have fun.




Kevin's been having more autistic/OCD bouts lately. They manifest mostly at bedtime when he should be taking a shower but "checking" on us, mostly Dan, instead. We have to be in bed just right, on our backs, arms and legs fully under the covers. Then he'll head off to the bathroom and we'll get comfortable again and instead of showering, he'll check on us again. And again, fixing us each time. Normally Kevin is the most happy-go-lucky kid I know and his autism is a non-issue. But when he gets into these cycles where he can't let go and move on, it just drives me nuts. And Dan too. Especially at bedtime when we're all tired. Fern will go to bed eventually when you remind her enough times. Kevin, not so much. Sometimes I just want to snap my fingers and say "Stop being autistic and GO. TO. BED!"




Kevin doesn't care what he's wearing, colors and patterns don't have to match, pants don't have to be long enough. I usually suggest shirts and pants so he won't stand out as the "weird kid" but other times it's not worth the fight of changing clothes when what he's wearing is almost acceptable. Like when he came down the other day wearing pants that were long enough but a but big around the middle. I asked him if he wanted a belt but when I got close enough to him, I realized those pants were mine.

4 comments:

Gnomeself Be True said...

For fun, I let my color-blind obsessive kid dress himself in the mornings.

Anne said...

Sounds like fun!

John said...

It seems as though the best parents are blessed with the kids that need them the most. I, as a blogger friend, am proud of you.

Unknown said...

I vote with John. And really Kevin is somebody Id like to meet.