Take 1 Autistic Child with an obssessive streak, put her in a grocery store ...

[scruff]

We've got http://www.nas.org.uk/ over here, I don't know what your local version is.

Do try to get a hand. I used to babysit for some local kids, including taking a lovely autistic girl to Brownies. She picked up a few skills like cooking and sewing (and burning off steam in the local park), I got to learn how to deal with challenging kids, her Mum got 2 hrs peace a week and the local kids got to learn how to deal with intelligent and healthy peers who just happened to have issues with comprehension and attention spans. Win all round.

[persephone]

Food Lady is right -- you need to come up with some kind of mantra that works for you -- will calm you down, keep you from killing anyone or being mad at yourself and remind you that you are doing a wonderful job for the situation life has put you in.

You are a great Mommy. Don't let anyone -- strangers or family alike -- tell you any different.

And if they do? Tell me.

And I'll kick them.

[protege]

My mom went off on how I was a horrible mother and that Child Rum is going to die because the paint was going to seep into her blood and kill her.

She does have a point though--some chemicals do enter the skin...and eventually find their way into your liver. However, as dangerous as that sounds, the quantity required to kill you...would be much larger than simply getting some paint on your hands. It would have to be multiple times larger, and in frequent occasions to do that. Years ago though, my father and I thought nothing of washing our hands with paint thinner after working on models or home-improvement projects. 25 years ago, nobody thought of such things as being dangerous. Wouldn't do that now, of course.

Rum, you might be interested in this link. Sure, it's a car show and race..but most of the money raised goes to charity...one being the Autism Society of Pittsburgh. That event has raised about $2.4 million since 1983. Gotta give them respect for that!

[Dreamstalker]

We have the Asperger's Association of New England; they may have a "master list" of resources in other states.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Food Lady is right -- you need to come up with some kind of mantra that works for you -- will calm you down, keep you from killing anyone or being mad at yourself and remind you that you are doing a wonderful job for the situation life has put you in.

I agree. My mantra did all of that for me. It's my signature.

[CaroPhoenix]

Right now, my hero is The Little Engine That Could. My mantra for the time being is: "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can."

[tamezin]

What you did -- putting the toothpaste in the cart to quiet her, sending her out to distract her and then just putting the tooth paste back -- is sometimes the only thing you can do.

I used to have to do that with my kids nearly every time we went to the store for something. I think that is a typical tactic learned by most parents. As long as the child isn't mauling or otherwise damaging the object of desire, then most places prefer you give the item back at the check out counter rather than leaving it some place randomly within the store. Rum ... you did good.

[RootedPhoenix]

I just hate how people judge quickly without knowing the rest of the story.

Makes me upset. Rummy, you did well. *hugs*

[CaroPhoenix]

Trust me RootedPhoenix, I hate it too.

Yesterday, we were all in a local grocery store (Bloom this time). And Mr. Rum had put Child Rum into the shopping buggy. She was happily talking about the box she had in her hand (it's little bear pre-brush gel - you put the gel on the brush, brush the teeth and all the blue spots show you where you need to brush). She was saying "Little Bear is painting teeth!" over and over again. She was chirping happily, I might add. Mr. Rum and Child Rum passed a girl and her mother shopping. As Child Rum chirped happily about her box and how she has Little Bear toothpaste and he's painting his teeth, the girl rolled her eyes at her mother. I wanted to smack her.

Child Rum was not throwing a fit. She was not screeching at the top of her lungs that she wanted this, this, and that. She was just happy.

GRRRRRR ... I gave her a dirty look.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I might get annoyed at child noises, especially when they interrupt the music in my head, but I won't say anything if they are quiet, happy noises. It's ear drum breaking screeches, wailing, grizzling and "MUMMY MUMMY I WANT SWEETIES!" noises that make me give angry glares and telling parents off.

I have Aspergers so I need to concentrate on the music in my head in order to survive a supermarket shop. I can do that and talk to people, it's great. XD

[Dreamstalker]

It's ear drum breaking screeches, wailing, grizzling and "MUMMY MUMMY I WANT SWEETIES!" noises that make me give angry glares and telling parents off.

Ditto...which Gamestore would get a LOT of during the holidays. I don't think many people--Aspie or not--can consult with their boss about something complicated with a kid screeching practically in their ear.

I seem to get a lot of little kids on the T who are fascinated with my socks (I developed a "reputation" in college for wearing fun socks with characters/designs/faces on them).