Friendship

I am making lots of friends.  I love understanding and open-minded friends.  They are what make my life not so lonely.  I kind of like daring to do things with friends I normally would not do.  Like yesterday I went to Dave and Buster’s with Kaylie.  It was so heavy on my ears’ peace, so heavy on my eyes, but I enjoyed it.  I love writing to my autistic friends each day.  I am eager to hear from them too.  I am one autistic of many who talk like me.  I am not patient seeing autistics continue to suffer in silence.  I am liking for people to join us in our struggle for equality and good education.  I am part of a community now.  Each day I am seeing more daring from myself and I like it.  My friends make me feel strong and mighty.  They encourage me.  Peace likes man to have kind companions.  I am blessed by my friends.

Philip

This post is specially dedicated to Philip's friends Kaylie, Michael, Aidan, and Josiah.  Clicking their names will give you some of the story of their friendship.

 At Dave and Buster's

 Michael

 Philip and Kaylie

Presidents Day Essay

(Written by Philip after doing Brain Pop lessons on Barack Obama and FDR)

Presidents have a big responsibility.  Some presidents have done right for our country.  Some govern ahead of their time.  One president was FDR.  He had to lead our country out of Depression and the World War.  He aimed to create jobs to end unemployment.  He astutely allied with nations to end a war.  He gave people savings for seeing through retirement.  No president ever had to do so much.  He is an inspiring lame man too.  Though he was paralyzed, he was a great leader.  I am impressed with FDR.

What qualities make a good president?

I think a good president should be a good leader, honest, each day a good example, thinks independently, no problems via someone underestimating him, into serving people, some luck (“How so?” So he gets his way.  Lincoln was lucky to get his amendment passed before the South came back.), each day guided by God.  

Today is Presidents Day and the first day of the week-long mid-winter break.  We had a nice day going to Dave and Buster's for lunch with Kaylie and her mom and sister and then to a family friend's house to hang out and play the Beatle's Rock Band video game.  Philip played the drums and did some singing into the microphone.  He also wrote back to his friend Aidan in Louisiana.  It was a fun-filled day!

 

Valentine's Message

I think love is a feeling of really liking.

I love my family.

I love God.

I love the satisfaction of accomplishment.

I love that I can communicate.

I love my new school.

I love walking around town.

I love light in each thing. (“How so,” mom asked.  Light is good.)

I love now each day. (“What do you mean?”  The present)

I love influencing someone to reach dreams.

I love to sow seeds and watch them grow. (I am telling my story and the Soma letterboard is teaching others to talk.)

One day I will love hearing I am talking.

I love interesting topics like today’s news and spiritual things.

I love coming to need open-minded education. (It is learning to think for yourself.)

I love storing open teachers.

I love America.

I love most reaching-out people (People who try to understand me.)

I love kids who understand me.

I love opportunities to prove myself.

I love answers to my questions.

I love my tons of out-of-the-box thoughts.

I love reaching out to others.

I love going to public world to explain autism.

Love is right to accept.

Most of all, love is each day the only thing that matters.

      

Understanding Stims and Eye Contact

Philip has told me numerous times that one of his missions is to help people understand autism.  It makes it easier for him and others like him to integrate into society when people understand why they do the things they do.  Stims, or repetitive body movements such as hand-flapping, tapping objects, twirling strings, or pacing, are a source of a lot of misunderstanding by neurotypical people.  I remember thinking they were purposeless actions and sought to extinguish these when Philip was younger.  I am learning now from Philip that they do serve a big purpose.  Philip has a love –hate relationship with stims.  He needs them to relax and enjoys them, but at the same time realizes it isolates him from others.  I think as we get to understand the different functions stims serve autistic people, we will act more compassionately and be able to overlook the differences in outward appearance so we could see the true person.

A conversation with Philip (Philip’s words are in bold):

Tell me about stims.

Stimming is each time I deal with stress.  I am respecting my body’s needs to mend itself from tension, hurt, and stress.

What is this tension, hurt, and stress caused by?

They are caused by nearly every understood thing.  Some aches each awaken a stim.  They are pains like a stomach ache or needed mind artist.

What is a mind artist?

Someone who understands our struggle.  It hurts when people don’t understand.

Is stimming ever not fun?

Y (yes).  When it gets in the way of searching out real solutions to problems.

When someone stops you from stimming, how do you feel?

I feel tested and torn apart.

Are there times when you should be stopped?

When I am not happy.

How should we stop you?

Please be tactful and kind to me. 

What should we do when you bang your head?

 

I am needing rest and comfort. 

Lia asked Philip last Saturday, “Why do you not look at the person talking to you?”

Because I am shy and feel nervous.  I get tongue-tied and need to concentrate without looking at the person.

*Philip's addendum:  I like to kid around too much.  Stims are fun and I like them.  
I take this to mean that stims can be a lot like our own habits sometimes.  We do them for different reasons.  Sometimes it is purely because we enjoy them.  Other times for stress relief.  Still others times we may take something we like to the extreme where it can be unhealthy.  

 Philip at age 3

Beatlemania

Philip loves music.  His favorite band is the Beatles.  I have written about this in a previous post here.  With the 50th anniversary of the Beatles first visit to the United States, we have celebrated in our own way by watching the Beatles Tribute on TV and learning about Beatlemania.  Philip has been practicing typing on his iPad.  Here is his response to Beatlemania which he wrote on his SpeakIt app on the iPad.

Beatlemania

It was a time in our nation's modern history when the Beatles came from England. this happened on February 7, 1964.  they sang on the Ed Sullivan show to screaming fans.  the Beatles became the loved music of America.

the Beatles are my favorite group because they do not attract headaches like some music on the radio.  the Beatles have good melodies and lyrics. the Beatles are a natural music talent.  my mom gives me lots of music to listen to.  my favorite songs are I am the walrus and I wanna hold your hand.

An Olympic Day

February 7 was a great day.  Philip visited his new school for the first time and met his teachers.  For privacy reasons I won't mention the details of the visit but will say it went great.  Philip's reaction was this:  I LOVE IT.  OPEN MINDED TEACHERS.  THEY TREAT ME AS BEING SMART.    

  

In honor of the Sochi Olympics beginning, Philip had a lesson on the Olympics.  We did an overview and quiz of the Olympics from the Brain Pop app.  Then I read portions of the Olympics entry in our encyclopedia.  Philip answered many facts about the games.  The Olympic creed is “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.  The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”  I asked Philip what he thought that meant.  TRY YOUR BEST, was his response.  What do you think of it?  IT IS GOOD BC I AM TRYING TO PERSEVERE EACH DAY AT SOMETHING NEW.  What sports do you look forward the most to watching?  SKATING AND SOCCER.  What is the best thing about the Olympics?  THE BEST PART IS WHEN THE ATHLETES AGREE NOT TO CHEAT.

In the evening we watched the Opening Ceremonies.  Philip noted I AM TOUCHED BY THE STORY OF RUSSIA.  I will take this as a springboard to teach Philip (and myself) some Russian history this week.  As I marveled over the beauty of the opening ceremony, I realized Philip had fallen asleep.  It was a good day, worthy of a gold medal in my book.