Blogging about life in Minnesota, raising our six kids with Down syndrome while battling Breast Cancer.

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says, "Oh shit! She's up!"

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Trick or Treat!

So this is Axel's first halloween. I'm sure he's wondering what all the creepy stuff is about on the neighbor's lawn up the hill. Last weekend we went to the pumpkin patch and found great pumpkins, and in a couple of days we'll be showing Axel the joys of pumpkin guts and seeds, not to mention the infamous carving of them. (And no Dean, you are NOT getting out of it this year! You had fun at the pumpkin patch and you WILL have fun carving a pumpkin with your son, I just know it.)

When I have a new concept to show Axel but limited resources, where else is there to turn but Youtube? Seriously, you can find ANYTHING on Youtube! Is your kid grabbing people in inappropriate places while at school? There are video examples of that so you can say to your kid, "Do you see THAT? THAT is NO!" Got a new vocabulary word, like "bat" to teach your child? Yes, there are examples of both the flying and the hitting kind. So it only stands to reason that one would also find many videos of children standing at people's doors saying, "Trick or treat!" and begging from strangers!

Yesterday Axel's speech therapist was all over teaching him some of this new vocabulary while making a Halloween bag, and my job was to come home and find the videos, which I did. At speech, since Angela was along, we had her show Axel how to trick or treat using the therapist's office door. Like a kid on their first Halloween, Axel was a quick study and it didn't take long before he was correcting Angela on her technique like a good little brother. Then he realized there were other therapists in the center to say "Trick or treat!" to, and watch with great interest as they put stuff in his bag.

When I showed him the videos he was a little confused by the fact the kids were wearing costumes. (I haven't tried to explain that one yet. Too much information at once and all...) I'm sure it will all make sense once we're out there and Angela is dragging him around from door to door. She of course is thrilled! You see, at 15 she is is far too old for trick or treating, but having a little brother gets to "help" and might possibly have a bag in  her hand "just in case." And since she is so into being a patient and faking injuries, that is exactly what she's going to be, and Axel will be the doctor. Maybe I'll be the sexy nurse. Naaaaaaa I should really dress up instead.

Now if only we can get Axel to say, "Trick or treat!"

1 comment:

Sheila said...

Lera didn't get it but once the candy hit the bag...now she wanders the house at various times of the year with her pumpkin and yells "trick or treat" until we put something (anything) into the bucket. If we are not cooperating she collects things from around the house and puts them in herself.