Music class - overstimulating
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| Thu, 03-30-2006 - 10:59pm |
I have had a couple notes come home the last couple days about how Mike got a bit overstimulated after music class. They have just started doing music for part of thier california project and international festival.
Well I got the full understanding of it today. The day ended with them practicing thier song for the festival. All the way home and for over an hour later he was COMPLETELY off his rocker. When he got in the car and I had was about to drive he starts to open and shut the door over and over. Then I convince him that ISN"T safe. My cellphone almost went out the window in just a fit of hyperness. Then he was doing some line over and over. Soon he wasn't doing the line anymore but just the sound of it. Like no words but just the inflection and tune of it as he was rocking full force with the window down leaning out looking at himself in my sideview mirror. I was going to pick up Dave from the sitters who live near the high school. I about bust my gut cracking up at the look from the teens walking by. At times like that you just have to laugh. Heck, Mike was having a very very good time for himself.
He continued most of the night. I finally got him to read (new obsession- yeah) and then take a bath and that helped. The only bummer is he gets so worked up that he ends up in a behavior problem. Sure enough he had ended up in trouble a few times and in time out. I kept trying to get him to do some sensory stuff to calm but it wasn't happening. Where OH where is my new trampolene when I need it.
Confusing part is that he sings with me every sunday at church and it doesn't get this bad. He is usually hyper on the way home from church but I figure that is from holding it together for over an hour. Plus he calms fairly quickly.
Renee


While we've gotten no notes about music class (yet!) my Ds had sort of a similar experience when they recently had to do a patriotic themed show for parents. My ds is an Aspie and very high functioning BUT any large, loud, chaotic event is just too much for him - (to be honest its too much for me too)
The program was unbelievably hard for him. It was in a gym designed for 300 people and about 500 people were jammed in there -it was loud, it was hot, it was chaotic (the music teacher had no control over the situation- poor woman was retiring that night!) and I watched my son walk up to his spot on the stage and the girl next to him, we'll call her "Bossy Betty" proceeded to admonish all those around her "you're not smiling enough" (Geeez this is 3rd graders) and I could tell by the look on my son's face that he was ON THE VERGE....
He started to rock a little bit in between songs and have a look of utter "GET ME OUT OF HERE" throughout the whole thing and I was very close to walking up there and telling him "Lets go home its OK" The kid next to him cried for the first 15 minutes and then he just got off the stage I don't know what was wrong with him. Kind of wish my son had done that.
My son did tough it out but afterwards was so agitated and crabby that we had to let him cool down for quite awhile like that.
I should have known it would be a disaster. WE went to Bingo at the same school last year and left after awhile because my son couldn't keep it together. It was hot, crowded, chaotic..mmmm sounds familiar
I know by now the sort of scenarios that my son just does not enjoy or do well in and in retrospect I should have kept him home -the singing program was not mandatory but he WANTED to go and probably shouldn't have.
Jane
That was totally like my son at his first communion. He worked soooooo hard to keep it together during Mass. You could see him struggling through it and forcing himself to do it. He wouldn't leave and he insisted on doing everything with his peers.
We made the HUGE mistake of having a party afterward at our house. Hindsight 20/20 we shouldn't have or should have had it the next day. The party was too much and he melted down for nearly half the party screaming and slamming doors. Wouldn't have been so horrible except it was a combined party and another little girls family was here as I decided it was best to do it at our house.
Renee
Dear Renee,
Of course I immediately wonder if something has happened or if he is nervous about performing in the Festival --- what this MEANS to him, because for Malcolm, if anything starts happening like this and I don't understand, it usually means something happened around music or he got an idea in his head that I don't know about. Sometimes I can get at it with having Malcolm draw pictures or write stories, sometimes his therapist can root it out, sometimes I can ask Malcolm specifically what is bothering him and he can tell me. I'm pretty sure first off that it's not the singing itself, otherwise you WOULD have the same experience in church, but class with kids is not church with you, which he has been doing for a long time.
Curious, huh? Good luck, Inspector Holmes...
Sara
Good point.
Not sure how much Mike understands about the festival yet. The teacher isn't sure if she was going to have the kids do it but thinks she will. I think there is some sort of performance planned.
Naturally, Mike wouldn't have to participate. That has gotten to the point on not even having to be said with his teacher, but I DOUBT Mike understands that, lol. We are probably assuming he does.
I already figured he would likely not participate. He usually doesn't and I was going to talk to him about it. Guess i better make it sooner rather than later.
The killer is in 2nd grade he was the lead in a class play. He was having a rough time with everything else but this one man teacher he had 1/2 the day decided it would be good for Mike to do this and he believed in him. Somehow in a loving way the teacher got Mike to do it and he did WONDERFUL. It was his last week at the performing art school. It was the one positive from that year (his other teahcer and the school in general were not a good mix for him). I still get teary when I watch the video to see what he is capable of.
Renee
Dear Renee,
Malcolm has done a few plays and dance routines in front of audiences, etc. and always does quite brilliantly. He loves to perform, and seems to have no problem doing it. That was one of the areas at NT Day Camp last summer where he really shone and clearly enjoyed himself, and he is interesting in taking more acting classes, if I can figure out where and how this would work in our already overcrowded schedule.
Malcolm was in first grade when he played Bagheera in a lovely version of "The Jungle Book" at school. He and the kid who played Mowgli had loads of lines and interaction, and they both did just great. I also have a video. I do think acting classes can be a real good thing for our kids, as well as promoting thinking more about social interactions and what they mean!
Sara