Friday, September 28, 2012

Naomi Loves Other Children

While it would not be obvious to the casual observer, due to her very eccentric ways of interacting with other people, Naomi LOVES other children.  For those of us who can 'read' her body language and other cues, she is much more animated and excited when other children are around, and she is more willing to try new things.  I think the socialization she gets with other children is the reason Naomi loves school so much.  This past week at school, all of the children participated in an activity at the block table.  Naomi swatted at the blocks as her way of participating in the activity.  That might sound like no big deal, but for Naomi it is a huge deal.  Naomi DOES NOT like new things, she is very hand defensive, and therefore she ESPECIALLY DOES NOT like touching new things.  Usually making her touch new things makes her scream and cry as though you have made her touch some sort of flesh dissolving acid.  The day after the block activity, when Naomi got to pick what she wanted to do after circle time, she picked blocks.  That was a new choice for her too.  She usually picks computer, where she likes to 'build people' or stretch out time or something like that.  In other words, solitary activities that are familiar to her.  So, her aide Deb takes her over to the block table, gets the blocks set up and....nothing.  No swatting.  Not interested at all.  Naomi looked away and ignored the blocks altogether.  Deb and Miss Stephanie, her very clever teacher, theorize that maybe she only likes blocks when all of the other children are there too.  They decide to test the theory and call the other children over.  As soon as the other children sit down and start playing with the blocks, Naomi goes back to swatting her blocks.  We think this is so cute!  She wanted to play along side the other children and blocks are only fun when other children are playing too.  Unfortunately, she came down with a cold the next day, yesterday, and had to miss school on Thursday.  She seems a little better today and we are hoping she is fully recovered by tomorrow, because we had plans to take her BACK to DelGrosso's for the last weekend the amusement park is open.  In the meantime, she has been doing a lot of snuggling, reading books and watching shows while she recuperates.

Naomi curled up on the couch watching a show, just how she likes.

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