Single Moms Raising Autistic Sons


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Thursday, December 29, 2016

Today Is A Good Day

This is the sticker that I have on the inside of my front door "TIAGD" Today is a good day and Griffin has made a sign for himself that reads, "RESET". Mine is to remind me of how precious every day is no matter what may happen and that I need to be grateful for everything that happens and for Griffin he made his sign to help him Reset before he goes out the door especially in the morning that no matter what has happened that he starts over as he walks out the door and leaves the past behind him. I admire him for having done that and he didn't even get it from anywhere except his own imagination and consciousness. Griffin is quite the intelligent young man/teenager , creative, and imaginative as well.


Griffin has matured a great deal just since last Spring as he now is far more patient and understanding of situations that have to do with me or others which goes well along with his innate sense of compassion and affection for others and especially animals. But now he thinks of me when I am sick or in pain rather than being upset because it is interfering with his plans. For example, this past Christmas I was so sick with some kind of virus in my GI tract and we couldn't go to SC to visit his sister and my parents and instead of being angry at me for ruining his plans he was ever so helpful, loving, kind, and understanding towards me. Even though he had exclaimed out of frustration that it was the worst Christmas ever and I had to agree with him...it was indeed.


Griffin will be 15 years old next month and that means that he will only be 3 years away from 18 years old....YIKES! But we are in the moment appreciating what we are and have right now not to get ahead of ourselves. I do think about his future though financially and also who will take on the responsibility of guardianship once I am infirmed or simply just not around anymore to care for him no matter how little or how much I need someone whom he trusts to do that so that I feel secure in that he will be safe and happy and provided for.


We have been using the token system at home which is part real coins and partly fake coins used in exchange for completing tasks both on a regular schedule and unexpected ones that come up. For instance, he gets coins for homework, eating properly, showering properly and washing his hair, being proper in public and staying with me the entire time = 50 cents each trip etc... that way he has printing money for the library and he can learn to save for things that he wants to buy. Also if I have to clean up for him then he owes me money ie...$1.00 an hour for my services to clean up after him. He has to give me 3 coins which equals 25 cents in order to go to the library each day or he can earn it by cleaning up himself the designated area I assign. So far it is working like a charm. Thanks to Juliette from Family Preservation.


Soon , Jan. 3rd he will be going back to school but only for an hour and a  half just to get things started back slowly and only Mrs. Keith's class which is math and he will not be allowed to use the computers due to the conflicts that it causes every single time he needs to get off of it at the end of the day ( impossible without some kind of incident). I felt that it was best to just skip it for now until things smooth out a lot more.


His diabetes Type 2, is going great thus far as he has improved upon his eating habits and has become thinner and healthier not asking for "bad" foods. His glucose has been in the normal range. I am so proud of my big (5'11" 206 lbs.) guy! I love you buddy...you are so awesome!