Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Untold Field Trips

Here's the thing about a nonverbal child. It's Niko's first field trip, right? I want to know what he saw. I want to know what he thought. And there is really no way that he can tell me. At home he points to what he wants, and he asks for things. "Do you want milk?" "Uh uh!" "Should we fold the laundry?" "Uh." But how can he tell me stories? How can tell me about school and what he did there?

He can't. Which was why this whole "I think you're son is being abused at school" thing was so incredibly...there aren't words. Tragic, frustrating, hateful...they're too light. Homicidal, mutilating rage, now maybe that's a bit closer. But directed at who? The teacher who mentioned the abuse in the first place and then changed her story, or his teacher who was disciplined for something, but who knows what?

Anyway, that's neither here nor there. It's been on my mind, but there's really nothing that I can do at this point. I just ask Niko what he thought of the animals on his field trip and hope that I'm asking about the right things.

Anyway! Bumping the happiness gauge up a notch is this: I sold a poem to The Writer's Eye. I wax on about it here.

5 comments:

Katie said...

I think he'll have a lot to tell you in the next life. That's a long time to wait, I know.

Unknown said...

You're just selling right and left. That's so awesome! I'm sure Niko will find a way to tell you what he loved best. You know him better than anyone and he loves you better than anyone!

Tes said...

I feel the same way. I am patiently waiting for Lila to tell me the details of all her adventures at school, I have to drag it out and not sure if it is actual. Just a little background for you my friend, I was like the rest of us, pushing her to talk, talking myself into mild insanity, and you know what? NOW the girl can talk AND sing your ear off! Sometimes (gasp) I even have to tell her to hush, which I hate to do but sometimes by grasp on sanity is barely by a non painted fingernail! Take heart, the words will come. Then the singing, then the constant questions, then mommy.....mommy........mmmoommmyyy!
ah, bliss

Amy said...

I play the same question/non-answer game with Avery. Thinking back I have her whole life, it is just ercelty that I have really noticed how much a crave an actual response.

I was astonished this morning when I handed her toast and she said "Thank you"!!!!! Then touched the sliver of toast to her lips, pulled it away and said "Yucky"!!! Wow is all I can say(:
xoxo
Amy

Anonymous said...

Like I've been saying, once I get down to Vegas I'll get him to talk. I'm awesome with kids that way.

Also? You should drop in on #nano. It's been way too long.