Yesterday, I got upset with James for closing his cat in a drawer. Poor sweet kitty was crying when I finally found him. His reaction, was, classic James... "I guess now I just need to DIE! You want me to DIE just like I want to." "No, I don't want you to die, I want you to be nice to our cats and all animals." James is all about extremes! There is no middle ground. There is nothing between being in mom's good graces and dead. He stomped downstairs and came up a few minutes later and threw my Mother's Day gift from 2009 at me. I thanked him and he said nothing as he walked away. Upon closer examination of the bookmark, I saw that he had added a pen drawing to it.
Message received little man, just keep the kitties out of the bureau drawers.
Okay, my husband has brought it to my attention that one of the main characters in the blog didn't even get name credits. So I am sorry Abracadabra Crackadoo. You are just about the sweetest kitty ever and even though you kept your distance from James after this happened yesterday, today you were all over him with love and gentleness. Way to be a team player on Team James!!
ReplyDeleteOur Liam was very black and white like that when he was that age. We called it "catastrophic thinking" - all or nothing. With maturity he's started to understand gray scales in thinking. He still has trouble with sarcasm and tone of voice sometimes, but small mistakes are no longer the end of the world like they once were. It's always a good step when they can express their remorse - loved the picture.
ReplyDeleteThe nice thing about cats and dogs is that they forgive and forget pretty fast.
James is certainly loved by our cats and he loves them back fervently! Sometimes they hid while he is awake and then come out as soon as he goes to sleep.
DeleteWe look forward to the grey thinking to come in because the black and white is getting difficult to deal with.
Oh poor kid, his feelings were hurt. What about the cat? I guess it's ok for kids to torture animals especially if they're autistic because they can't help it and their feelings are more important and animals are just disposable things. If your child puts animals in danger, you have no business keeping them around him.
ReplyDeleteI certainly understand your concern for our kitty. We do have moments when James shows little concern for their well being, but the majority of the time, he is sweet and loving towards them. Having animal around children with Autism provides opportunities to learn about love and empathy on a different level. He gets scratched enough when they are upset with him. So I think it is a two way street.
DeleteI understand and animals do provide love and empathy on a very special level. However, it only takes one time of carelessness and lack of empathy that can cause an animal permanent trauma or injury. It bothers me when people think that an animal's safety and well-being can be put in jeopardy. A cat weighs at most 30 lbs and attacks only when it is scared or defensive so to say that the cat deserves being tormented and have its life put at risk by a child that lacks the empathy to understand that hurting animals is wrong is cruel.
DeleteSarah's husband fielding this one. If you have the impression we think an animal's safety and well-being can be put in jeopardy, or that we "say" a cat "deserves" to be tormented you're actually missing the point Sarah was trying to make. All pets deserve an environment of love and safety, and they have it in our house. Everyone looks out for them, and they look out for each other, and of course have their way of letting people know when they are not feeling safe. All she was saying is that our cats do exactly that. James is very empathetic, loving and caring with them. There is not a mean or cruel bone in his body. He is, to be sure, also impulsive, present-oriented, and possessed of the tendency to act on his feelings of the moment -- in other words, a fairly typical young boy (these traits are not confined to children with autism). Like any child, he does not always do the right thing, and like any child, it is these moments that are key to letting him know what right and wrong are. I can assure you that we take our responsibilities as both parents and pet owners extremely seriously.
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