Merry Christmas (a story all parents can appreciate)

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Whether your kids are ASD or NT, this is surely something we can all appreciate. I happened to think about it while wrapping more of the boys' presents, so thought I'd share with you all. (I apologize, but I set up my posts like this in story form, so you'll have to go through the setting before getting to the good part.)

Here in the frozen north (as my Texas friends like to call it), we have been hit with snow this week. Friday the boys had off from school, so my husband took our car to work. I was checking my email, and suddenly all was quiet in the house. We all know that daunting quiet that means the kids are up to something.

I swing my chair around, and there I see my 4 yr old peeking in and out of the bathroom. Now, I took this to mean that they were playing in the bathroom as sometimes they like to do. Well, getting up to further inspect what trouble they were getting into, I watch as my 4 yr old runs back into the bathroom as if he had not been prancing around the doorway.

This is quite unusual for him, but it meant even more that my attention on the matter was needed. As I approach him, he quickly trots away from me, towards the living room, which I later came to be aware that he was fleeing the scene of the crime.

I turn into my bedroom (which has a door from the bathroom) to discover my 3 yr old on my bed. Not only was he on my bed, but he had taken two bows off their Christmas presents! I simply asked him what he was doing.

"Presents!"
"Are you opening the presents?"
"Uh-huh. Presents!"

Swiftly, I pick him up and carry him out of the room. Quickly grab all the presents and put them away before the boys were able to see where I put them.

Basically, D (MFA, 4 yr old) was standing look out for S (HFA, 3 yr old). It was truly a sight to behold. I got a good laugh out of it.. as did my mom.. and my husband, when I got the chance to tell both of them the tale.

=p

I was at home watching my 5 year old little sister (HFA). Anyway, I was in my room and all of a sudden I hear a "Merry Christmas!" from the doorway. I look up and there's my sister-- a ripped up box in one hand and one of my gifts in the other. Too cute.

Cute story. I love the innocence in the way kids misbehave at that age. So many giggles you have to suppress, though, in order to teach them better.

Most of our gifts don't get wrapped and under the tree until Christmas Eve. My AS son seems ready to handle all that delayed want, but my NT daughter ... um ... no.

She figured out where I hide things in the house and there really isn't any other place so I've started sending gifts to one of my consulting jobs for storage. They think it's cute.

I know kids can be taught to handle temptation but I find it a lot less work for me, and less stressful for all of us, to simply keep from having too much temptation around. Kids have enough things to learn and worry about it. I want us all relaxed and enjoying the season.

When I was a boy, waiting for Christmas morning to come was difficult, in the Aspie sense

Usually my mom arranged so I could open one specially arranged present to sort of take the edge off of things, so that I could sleep that night.

When my two little evil kids got old enough, I started a family tradition for Christmas eve. Mother always bought pajamas for the both of them, and a story book of some sort. Those got wrapped, and hidden in the house for Christmas eve.

While she and the kids made cookies in the kitchen, I would move around the house, placing little slips of paper in places. Each piece was a little rhyming clue, as to where the next clue would be found, with the final clue leading to the hidden stash of presents.

This went over BIG.

When they were too small to read, they would bring the clue to mommy to read for them. Then they would run off as fast as flying raindeer to find the next clue.

They are 14 and 16 this year. They feel just a little too old for it now


Here is a sample clue for you all


Some where in the east,
a house that is white;
There is a telephone on a desk
in a room very round.
Next year, the desk will be
used by a clown.