I have been embroiled in an internet dispute recently. Its all about Special Needs children in public. The dispute part is over and now we have moved on to the eductional phase. Its a valid topic, how should we respond to others in society? What is expected? What is allowed? Honestly, there is no hard and fast rule. You just have to use your common sense and approach every situation with a degree of compassion and understanding. I don’t really know how else to say it. But, I thought I could illustrate it. Here are some ways in which Pookie interacted with others this last week. I am drawing only from what I call “outsiders”, those who are not in his inner circle.

This week’s Pookie Outsider Shout-outs:
In the category of “Just being nice, didn’t know ya’ had autism…..”

The waitress at Red Robin who, when seeing Pookie press his hands to his ears everytime the helium tank was used, asked the Hostess to stop blowing up balloons until after we left.

9 year old Second Cousin Sam who insisted Pookie play Nerf darts with her and her brother, explained the rules, made him play for 3 minutes and then strugged her shoulders and moved on when he abandoned the game.

Unknown neighbor at my Aunt Char’s BBQ who laughed when Pookie stuck his finger in the cake and then gave him a fork and told him to “go for it.”

In the category of “It’s obvious that your son has a challenge, but I don’t know what it is, nor does it really matter”

The clerks at the quilt shop who reacted the same way to Pookie as they do to every 5 year old boy dragged into a quilt shop by his mother….quiet observation and trusting me to handle the situation.

The bank teller who let Pookie paw through the sucker box until he found the Root Beer one, trying to keep up with his 1-sided echolalic conversation.

A second unknown neighbor at Aunt Char’s BBQ who pretended to take a fall when Pookie punched him in the kidneys (my fault…I had told him to show Great Grandpa his Kyuki-Do moves…but I forgot to tell him to stop!)

My mom’s cousin Larry who let me and Pookie sit in the back of his RV for almost 30 minutes….just because its the coolest place a kid could ever want to be!

And the boobie prize for full and utter failure to deal with their interaction with a Special Needs child this week……..

No one. I rarely give this prize out. Most people do just fine. I hope that helps.