Small Steps in the Right Direction?

I didn't have Louis every day this week. He was there on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

The school and parents have collaborated on some different um, options to try to help him out. I know it's early in the game, but he had a very good week with me.

He was uncharacteristically compliant, not that I give him orders. But we have specific activities and a schedule. We spend a lot of time waiting for Louis, he is reluctant to move from one activity to another. Transitions aren't his favorite thing. I try to give him a lot of warning when we're switching, he knows our schedule anyway, but yeah.

He didn't hold us up even once. When it was time to go wash our hands, he did not run down the hallway. He didn't jump off the table. He didn't argue with anyone over toys, playground equipment, or cars/magnets.

Oh wait, let me back up. Regarding the magnets. On Monday, I did not get the magnets out and put them on their usual table. Because Louis leaves them all over the place and when I suggest to him that he pick them up, either starts running around the room and doing dangerous shit or flat refuses to do it. And his parents are not very good at making sure he has done what he's supposed to do. They're sort of.. diffident. They tiptoe around him. They work very hard to be calm. To avoid setting him off. If he were my kid, I guess I might worry about that, too.

So I didn't bring the magnets out. I knew he would ask about it, so I left them in our little corner of the staff lounge.

After the parents picked up their children after school and our cafeteria had cleared out, he asked me, "Where are the magnets?"

"Well, some of use are having trouble remembering to clean things up, so I left them in the back room for now."

He wasn't thrilled. I could tell by the look on his face.
He was also a little disappointed. My goal wasn't to keep him from using the magnets, it was to make him think about putting things away before he left.

So I immediately sat down on the cafeteria bench next to him and said, "Louis, I have no problem bringing the magnets out for you guys to play with. I just need you to remember to clean up when your Dad or Mom comes to get you. It's not fair for you or anyone else to get a bunch of toys out and then leave them out when you go home. Other people end up having to clean up things they didn't get out or play with and that isn't okay. So I'll be happy to get the magnets out if you promise to put them away. Can you do that for me?"

He looked into my eyes and said, "Yes. I will put the magnets away for sure."

So I handed him the box. He put them away when it was time to leave, too.

Tuesday he wasn't with me very long, his mom picked up early.

Didn't see him on Wednesday or Thursday. Caden made up for the absence, though, by constantly talking about his obsession with Pennywise (what the eff kind of parent lets their seven year old watch a movie like that?) and scaring Will with descriptions of clowns that are, "Everywhere, I even saw one at our school!!"

And yes, I tell him every time he opens his mouth and some form of clown comes out, "Caden, we aren't going to discuss this here."

I have let his adult pickup person know about this issue. And he's been talked to. Repeatedly. But talking to him doesn't work very well. I could (and probably will) write about him soon, too.

On Friday, Louis was back. And most of my kids were gone for one reason or another. It was quiet. Louis was just like the other kids. He did what was asked of him, was kind to the other kids and I got a glimpse of what kind of kid he can be.

Then, Colin asked if we could get out the chess board. I taught him to play last school year. He's not bad at it, although he doesn't seem to have the ability to think more than one move at a time.

I got the chess board out and he and Amelia played a game.
Louis was riveted. And as soon as Colin had won the game, Louis asked if he could, "Try to play that game."

He had never played before.
And with a little help around the edges, "Louis, that piece can only move in a diagonal line, the king can only move one space at a time, you can't move there, you'll be in check," he beat Colin.

He was completely fascinated by the game and ignored the entire rest of the universe until the game was over. His mom came to get him before the game was over, and stayed the last few minutes to watch. She doesn't know how to play, but as they were leaving through the back door, he was telling her that he wanted his own chess set and that he would teach her.

I hope that he starts playing chess. I think it would be really good for him. 

A computer once beat me at chess but was no match for me at kickboxing.