We Go With The Flow
Filed Under (Development, Joy, Single Parenthood) by Estee on 19-07-2010
Adam and I are enjoying what Toronto has to offer. A lover of music, I’ve lugged him to the jazz festival and other performances in our great city. We play piano, sing a lot and I’ve been teaching Adam how to dance. He took it upon himself to dance on my feet. It’s something my dad had to teach me when I was a little girl. Adam just did that on his own. With all of this activity, one would imagine that child would sleep well.
Like many autistic folks, however, Adam doesn’t always need a lot of sleep. I, on the other hand, need my seven hours. He’s still so young, I am unable to teach him at this point to do work, go onto the computer and let me get what I need. In many ways, it can be like having an infant, still. If I left him to his own devices at this particular age, he would turn his room into a gymnasium, climbing all the furniture (which thankfully I bolted down).
It might have been the storm last night that woke him, I’ll grant him that. I heard him yelp. As Adam begins to talk more and find his “voice,” he is also becoming much LOUDER. In the middle of my daze at 2:38 this morning he came into my room and said, “Wake up! Let’s talk!”
My eyes groggy, I couldn’t help but smile, even though I wish this came at seven in the morning. “Adam quiet,” I said, not believing that I’d ask my previously non verbal child to be quiet! “It’s time to sleep,” I pleaded. To this he responded with laughter, like the gods.
I could have gotten really frustrated, the way I have in the past sometimes. I just told him to climb into my bed and I let him chatter away as I dozed beside him, knowing that at least a little rest is better than nothing at all. Occasionally I tried to persuade him with a “sleep,” word or two, and he would at least quiet down for a bit.
At six this morning I gave up trying. I turned on Nora Jones, made breakfast and dealt with my fatigue with a dance. Adam, still energetic and happy took his position.
Sleep or no sleep, I know I should not be complaining.
Our morning dance:
This morning’s song, Shoot the Moon, by Nora Jones:
ESTÉE KLAR
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
Writer.Curator of Art. Founder of The Autism Acceptance Project. Mother of Adam. I like to write about our journey, musings, attitudes towards autism.
I’m just waiting for one of you to notice that HUGE lollipop and blame it on the sugar! :) :0)
From someone that only needs 3 to 4 hours of sleep a day, I love the quote by Nietzsche,”Sleeping is no mean art: for its sake one must stay awake all day.”
I wish we we could avoid sleep, for there is so much to do,see, experience….Adam, I think I know exactly how you feel about sleep.
I envy you, Tanya! I think of all the writing I could get done. No, as you can see from my photos, I look a little spent.
Lollipop is just a treat, not the cause of not being able to sleep at night. Adam and you look so happy, the lack of sleep does not show. Sometimes, that’s all that matters.
I know, but in autism people get so sensitive about the diet thing, thought I’d make a friendly joke of it.
He couldn’t finish that thing anyway.
Diet is important, but we all deserve a treat. I treat myself at times as well, maybe sometimes far too often, but if I didn’t I wouldn’t stay on course the rest of the time.
Hope you and Adam enjoy the rest of summer. JazzFestival in the Beach next week looks good!
Thank you for sharing those fleeting moments of frailties while counting those moments of blessings.
I’m just glad to hear someone else saying they were up since the middle of the night with they’re child. If i mention anything to Noah’s eibi “girls” about him not sleeping they get an incredulous look in their faces. My thing for getting him to sleep all night is fill him up with “real food” before bed and (he gets enough junk through the day) and put him to sleep really late (10 O’clock) he is usually good untill 7.
Isn’t it great when you wish they’d just shut up. I used to be envious of other parents who got to ask their kids to put a lid on it, but in due time I got my share too. It’s funny how perspectives change.
What a wonderful blog :)
I’ve found my way here through my travels and wanted to say what a pleasure it was to read your posts.
Stacie from Australia
Happiness