Kael turned 5 on November 8th, which officially makes him a BIG BOY!
He had lots of family members and his good friend Alex, who shared in this celebration. I am really excited because now he understands that he is a big boy, and knows it is time to start acting like a big boy. So, it is his responsibility to get dressed by himself, to get a glass of water by himself, and to clean up by himself. O.K., truth be told, it has only been two days and I find myself still wanting to help him with some tasks, but I am surprised at how independent he has become simply for having a birthday!
Kael amazes himself by how much he has grown in the last year. His pants are shorter, he can reach the bathroom sink faucet without the need of a step stool, and he can put on his own shoes without help. The Genesis Church gave him a pair of Converse shoes, which has laces, and will be the next step in proving that he is a big boy, when he learns how to tie them properly. His teachers and I have recognized his increase in vocabulary, although he still uses "dah, dah, dah" to fill in the words he doesn't know. His fine motor skills are improving while coloring at table time in class, and he has more patience to make sure not to color outside of the lines.
I wonder if he is ready to learn about being Autistic. He already knows that he is special, and different. In class, he is the only one that doesn't have to sit on the floor during circle time. Instead, he has a chair with a picture of himself on it, which helps him tremendously to sit calmly and to pay attention during story time. He also knows that he is the only one in his class that gets to have a special toy bucket that sits on his desk in front of him. This has helped him overcome his fixation to clasp a small toy in his hand at all times. Now he knows that it is right in front of him, his classmates won't take it, and it allows him to do other things with his hands like using scissors.
He knows he is different, and that he gets special treatment, but he may not know why and I wonder if now is a good time to tell him. Is his mind able to comprehend the distinction between what is normal and what is different? Does he recognize that other kids speak very well and can communicate their thoughts to get what they want? I am sure of it, because it hurt me to hear him say "I not smart", when he couldn't figure out how to put the Spider Man puzzle together, that Alex gave him for his birthday.
I didn't know what to say, I was so shocked, and just ignored the comment. But inside of me, my heart sunk, and I wondered, "Is now the time to tell him?"
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