Tactile And Noise

This weekend we went to the energy festival in Kempton. It was unique in any festival because there were lectures there that you attended all day in addition to the exhibitors.  James got to go to a ton of lectures. There were a few that I attended. I was looking forward most to the one on population challenges but the person never showed that was speaking. Right next to the lectures was this huge playground where all the kids congregated and they had a ton of activities going on like puppet shows, playing with clay, face painting, spin art, chalk drawings etc.

I was in between lectures and watching Max at the playground. i was watching him play with the other kids and also play with clay. In a world of tactile and noise, Max fit right in.  There was no one to go around telling him sshh…. and he didn’t have to sit still for eight hours a day.

These past few weeks at school I know have been trying for him and his teacher and we met with her last year and are trying a few things to keep him settled for school. One thing that doesn’t help with the end of his day is that he basically has his special class which is all tactile and sensory and then is expected to come back for the regular classroom for an hour at the end of the day and do work. This is the hour he is having the most difficulty sitting for and also the most difficulty distracting the other kids.

But over the weekend he played at the playground for six hours straight and to look at him you would think he was a normal kid. He is socially gifted and was able to focus on what he was doing. He was also really happy.  Sometimes I think we expect too much from the kids these days.

We expect them to be quiet for too long…..