Monday, July 23, 2012

Taking Turns

Here is an excerpt from David's school journal last week:

David and his peer took turns assembling a Mr. Potato Head toy. After initial hesitation, David did well taking turns when prompted by his peer and the teacher.



David does have some trouble taking turns because he does not really enjoy playing with his peers.  It is comparable to the fact that David also has a difficult time in a restaurant, but since he really does not enjoy eating, perhaps he doesn’t see the point.  (Boy, I wish I could say the same about myself.)

Anyway, back to turn taking.  And then there might also be the teeny tiny issue that if David is participating in a preferred activity, he does not want to miss a turn. Surprise, surprise.

So, I was encouraged to read these comments in David's journal.  I made a mental note to move “turn taking” up the perpetual to do list so that I could reinforce the work that they did last week in school.

Let me first explain that David is susceptible to the hiccups and, for some reason, he seems to believe that burping helps to relieve his hiccups.  He will actually swallow great quantities of air to be able to belch and the louder the better.

Last night, we were at my sister’s house for a Sunday family dinner.  David, who of course had respectfully declined to sit at the table with us, appeared on the landing coming down from the second floor.  In great flourish, he paused, smiled and then burped, which not surprisingly made us laugh, reinforcing David’s inappropriate behavior.

I guess I should say that David’s action made most of us laugh.  My 15-year-old nephew, Thomas, chose to respond not by laughing, but by burping back.  For several minutes, the cousins took turns burping, each trying to outdo the other, one longer, louder, grosser (if that is even a word, which I suspect it is not) than the last.  There was no hesitation on David’s part, as witnessed during the Mr. Potato Head game.

I have amended the to-do list, which I am sorry to say now includes discouraging burping.

Progress?  You tell me.

5 comments:

  1. I wish Parker preferred burping. He does something else more gross, lol. He thinks its hilarious. Good luck with the turn taking. Is he in summer school?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He had a month of summer school and then he participating in a teacher training for one week, and now we are flying solo until school starts in four weeks. Wish me luck!

      Delete
  2. Oh Kathy, I can just see the cast of characters!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Reminds me of dinner time as a child. My siblings and I would have belching contests and then grade each other on tone quality, overall length etc. My mom wasn't impressed, either. Must be a mom thing. I can just see David in his ta-da moment on the stairs! He and Thomas have always had a special connection - glad it continues! Keep writing, Kathy!

    ReplyDelete