The socks strike again…

So after 3 long months of meltdowns and awkwardness with Danny trying to cope with the change of Christmas, school plays, school holidays, going back to school and snow I was thankful to have a week with no major stress last week (well child related anyway).  Danny hadn’t refused to go to school, we hadn’t had any episodes of attacking me and the girls autism was behaving itself too.  I was pleasantly surprised that the first few days of half term were reasonably relaxing and trouble free.  I’d made plans for them to have something to do everyday, drew them up a visual timetable (the autistic child’s best friend in a week without routine) and we’ve been having fun getting messy, making biscuits, bird feeders and lots more.

We got up this morning with no problems and then we had a power cut  This might not seem like the end of the world to you, unless you hadn’t had your morning coffee (which I hadn’t) but in this house it was like the sky had fallen in!  Danny was not amused by this as it was dark (opening the curtains wasn’t good enough), couldn’t have toast and the movie time I’d said they could have while I was doing some uni work had obviously gone out of the window, but he held it together (ish) and played his football game with his sisters (by played I mean shouted, moaned, insist that they were playing wrong before storming off declaring he was never going to play with them ever again).

Anyway, he still hadn’t melted down so we were doing well 😀  The kids were dressed and I realised it was now the 4th day of half term and I hadn’t had any tantrums, meltdowns or fights – OK so maybe a few push and shoves and a few squabbles but that’s to be expected with a 5,4 and 3 year old!  But all in all I was thinking it had been pretty easy (fatal mistake I know) …. and then came the screams!!!!

I’d left Danny putting his socks on (why is it always the socks?!!!!)  and in the 30 seconds I’d been thinking of how easy it had been this week Danny had decided that the socks were awful, and that he was going to shatter the peace.

Screaming, kicking, crying followed for almost an hour.  Every pair of socks I offered were annoying or the wrong colour, or didn’t have faces on so an hour later I’m sitting here while Danny sits sockless (and slightly cold), on edge but happy.  I doubt it will last long but I’m going to make the most of it and snuggle up with the 3 of them and watch a movie.

Living with autism is hard at times, but I wouldn’t change my munchkins for the world, it makes them who they are and I love every last bit of them 😀