Did you know...

[MiladyDeSummer]

...that it is apparently rather important to read stories to young children?

It was certainly news to me when I was at the library earlier with DD who was returning the books I have slaved over she has read for their holiday reading challenge.

The librarian was unpleasantly surprised to hear that DS (3), non-verbal, in his own world, occasionally screeching and taking no interest in the books whatsoever despite my best efforts was not taking part.

"Doesn't he have books at home?"

ARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

He has hundreds thanks and I am in a flipping library you silly woman so it isn't as if the only literature in our house is the Argos catalogue.

I explained that he is autistic and only really likes looking at them under his own steam and only then books about numbers, has never sat on my lap and been happy to be read to and her response to this was the perfectly logical, "well bring him along to story-time here then!"

Yes a large-group situation with books would work really well if he can't even cope with it 1:1

That's my second rant today, sorry

I feel your pain. DS2 is exactly the same.

Silly librarian woman should keep her beak out of where it isn't wanted.

Argh!!

ROFL!

Or a positive parenting course?

Ah you see, you should try songs and rhythmic stories, with the tv off, and ds on your lap. That's where you've been going wrong

This kind of reminds of a ridiculous conversation I had with an NHS dietician about my ds food issues. After waiting almost six months for appointment, when we finally got to see her she asked me if I had considered cutting his sandwiches into shapes to make them more appealing and then gave me a booklet about healthy eating for children! Obviously that sorted out his refusal to eat most known foods as it was just that I didn't know how to make sandwiches!!

I knew I shouldn't have used the contents of the Book-start bag for firewood! It's all coming back to bite me on the arse now but what could I do? I'd run out of fags and the kids needed burgers

Did you try cutting down on their margarine intake?

Shit, I spent all the DLA on phone credit. No one told me I had to use it for books and that.

You are really cheering me up, and 5inthebed is on a roll

My SIL advised making faces and shapes out of food cansu when she was visiting and I own several Annabel Karmel books which she must have seen in my kitchen one which has a bloody clock made out of food. I've made numbers out of toast and he won't even try that.

This is a great book for parents of non-eaters by the way, I didn't take many hints from it but by Christ it gave me a lot of validation! I only wish I could force everyone i know to read it.

It just does go to show how ignorant people are regarding autism, and if a librarian cant grasp it what chance the general public!

Reminds me of DGS going to the dietician as seriously underweight. She recommended:- breakfast - mid morning snack - lunch - pudding - afternoon snack - teatime - pudding and bedtime snack!!!! She just couldnt understand getting 3 meals down him was a good day, anything additional he wouldnt eat or would just throw up the lot

I would have been tempted to reply with:

"Oh well, you know how it is. He's a little tired because he's just finished reading Great Expectations."

Ds1 tends to just grab the first books he can see and Ds2 just likes to run round the children's area.
I did get a fantastic book for them from a second hand shop the other day though. The Boys Book of How Things Are Made (1959). Lots of photos of serious looking men with serious looking machines .

You've just got to talk to them more

Oh no. I just get the "oh so and so's cousin or great aunt or second nephew three times removed didn't speak until they were 95 and now they're just fine."
FFS.

Great thread (sadly)!
Our local library has been my refuge, one of the few places I could let DS1 'off the lead' that didn't have food visible (we have the opposite prob, if he sees food he neeeeeds it.) We get scowls from other punters but the staff have never yet given me the opportunity to point to the sign that says 'Libraries love babies' and say why noisy screaming babies and not loudly joyful 5yr olds & 2yr olds stacking the floor cushions and divebombing them?

LOL at serious men and machines. I bet they had serious moustaches too.

I will go back to the library and complain that DS would prefer to read Chekov's "War and Peace" in the original and why haven't they made provision for this?

at "talk to them more", wonder if there should be a new thread listing all these helpful phrases?

Ok, the first thing is positive praise. So:

MiladydeWinter, well done for sharing. Parenting can be hard.

Next beat with stick:

MiladydeWinter, you are doing it all wrong. You need to look at a book, and talk about the pictures.

More beating with stick:

MiladydeWinter, you need to stop talking without purpose. Listen to your DS's words, then add one. E.g. 'BUS' - Yeeeessssss DS, it's a red bus.

Last beating with a stick:

MiladydeWinter, you are the parent. You must tell him to sit still and be quiet.

Finish with positive praise:

MiladydeWinter, well done for visiting a library. See you next week.

Fantastic! Lougle you are a genius

Genius, moi? Well, if you insist, Milady

Thanks for the book idea Milady - i will have a look at this. This thread is definitely cheering me up!

Gladioli, DS2 is the same but with anything drinkable. Hard going, especially in restaurants/pubs/McDonalds when people have left stuff on the table.

Miss Whiplash Lougle you need to start your own new age therapy.