My dd is generally very calm, but BOY can she do a 180 on you! She's gonna be 3 in Aug and really enjoying temper tantrums right now. She always was a mellow kid though, fine in the stores and things like that, but I couldn't let her walk on her own or she'd be gone! [QUOTE=shenom]
I consider myself very fortunate. In many ways, he's a lot easier to handle on a daily basis than his NT twin....who happens to be both a drama queen an an attention seeker.
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Same in our family. Noah, my NT son, requires so much more "handling." We have to be sure to make time for Alex, he is so easy going.
I could never take parker to a movie... the only problem I have with him is that he will not saty still. he always has to wander aroundIt depends on where we are, Just wanted to say I love the picture .My son is sooooooooooo lax and sweet. I can take him anywhere and do anything. He is very go with the flow and really doesn't throw tantrums still. Are there some kids out there that are just lax? Is it possible for him to change? He has had a recent word explosion that is helping him learn how to talk. Anyone else have a calm kid????
Hayley
Tuhina is like that most of the time. And she is six! She has traveled a lot with us -- to Guatemala, to China ... a 1.5 day car trip to visit a friend, and back. She napped when she wanted to and ate when she was hungry ... and acted quite placid and happy.Daniel is a pretty calm child. He has a few issues like if he wants to stay outside longer.. We only have a few issues with him in stores. (I avoid the pastry area because he LOVES cake.) Sometimes it's hard for him when he has to give up his toy that we need to pay for (which means we try to go in a real cashier line instead of self-check out, because they can give it right back to him. Plus he's not bratty about it, more broken up so most cashiers WANT to give it back.)He is starting to get alittle mouthy, but its more the age, than the dx....
I wanted to stop at the store and grab a salad before- and he told me 'no, you will trick me and get a cart and get MORE than a salad!'....he told me 'you are fibbing mom!"
but- no, no tantrums....i was fortunate...but he is as rigid as they come! he is over tired from yesterday- we took him to see circus smirkus (smirkus.org)- it was neat- but he is tired....
Gail
My youngest is a very laid back kid. He travels really well, and we can take him anywhere and do most anything with him. The only exception is going to the movies. He was great in movie theaters up until last summer when he was 5. I took the boys to see Ice Age The Meltdown. My youngest didn't want to sit after 40 minutes. Also, a scene came on that he found upsetting and he stood up and started yelling "NO, NO, NO!!!!!" I ended up waiting in the lobby with him. I haven't had the nerve to try taking him again.Alex has always been serene, calm and fine with new places, people. We, also, can go anywhere with him. I am a calm person and we have worked a lot with him on his referencing of us when we're out and about (instead of referencing behaviors and things for familiarity and comfort) so that may influence how calm he is. But at heart, he is a happy guy who does not melt down and is not rigid at all. We are mindful not to put him in situations that aren't great, but we also don't have to worry much about overload or routine.
My guess is that this is unusual in an ASD kid? I often wonder how many ASD kids are like this, but am too embarrassed to ask. I'm glad you did!
[QUOTE=snetting13]Is it possible for him to change? [/QUOTE]
Alex turned 4 in March. So far, he is as calm and happy as he's always been. You/We might see some temporary difficult periods associated with emerging independence, (for sure during adolescence,) but I think basic personality is pretty apparent by this age.
We take Aidan everywhere and do lots of things. Today, we took him to play miniature golf. He loved it - it was hysterical! 99% of the time he is a sweet, happy little charmer looking for a good time. Then there is the 1%. He can kick up a little fit if we are doing a really preferred thing - like a pool, playscape type place, or bowling and he is not ready to end or if we pass a dunkin donuts and don't stop. Then he's not shy about publicly showing his disatisfaction but he gets over it in a reasonable time. Other than that, behaviorally he seems fairly typical for his age.
We did try and take him to Ratatouille last night and it wasn't that successful. For the first 40 minutes, he was happy as a clam. He was sitting in his little seat with a juice box and a bag of cheese doodles, watching the movie so sweetly. My husband and I even gave eachother some raised eyebrows and a big thumbs up. Then he decided to get up and he stayed in front of us but started chatting. He was basically calling out, mama, dada, kayley and then labeling whatever was on screen. He also did a quick rendition of the ABC's. It wasn't loud - he has a sweet little voice, but the woman directly in front of us turned around and gave me a big WTF face so I had to pick him up and go. He was so quiet the whole ride and then when I opened his door to get him he said, mama wha happen movie-show? Jasper is one mellow cat. He has never thrown a tantrum. He loves to go
new places and has always been good in restaurants and public places.
Now that he is developing more (4.5), I have started to see more attentional
problems, listenting, sitting still, wandering away from groups, etc. He has
gone from a pretty sedentary kid, to one who is definitely enjoying being in
his body. He's suddenly jumping around everywhere and very distractable. I
think this is a good sign, though challenging at times.
His basic temperment is sweet, laid-back, and happy. I wish I could take
credit for it, but as you all know they are just born that way. As Shelley once
said--Sarah was TOO perfect as a baby. J was like that, too.My Daniel too has mellowed down A LOT !!! He used to throw TERRIBLE TANTRUMS when he was 4, 5, 6 years old. Now at 8 yrs, it's more reasoning and talking things over that help quell any potential flare-ups...
Sarah was sooo quiet and lax and I could take her to the mall for hours without one peep..it all changed when we got her diagnosed and started ABA & speech therapy and found out she was very strong willed girly and didnt like to do demands at all!! She would scream some days for hours...they ruined her:P
She is still for the most part a passive sweet quiet little girl but she gets willfull here and there when she wants her way...so much better than the indifferent little girl that didnt care whatsoever!
My son is a week older than your son and they sound so smiliar.
My ds is as sweet as can be and even when he starts to get upset about
something we can calm him very easily. His therpist always say
this is one of his strengths that even through he might not want to do
something he works through it and gets it done without losing it.
I have always been able to take him everywhere and his is a
fabulous. It is great because I am all about what and where are
we going today. The joke around her is that if we stay home ds's
routine is upset not if we go out all day.
My biggest problem with him is also I can't get him to sit for
anything. He loves to walk around and bump into his wiggle and
giggle elmo chair and fall into his ball pit.
I hope that his personality is her to stay and that he becomes independent but remains to be able to go with the flow.
Good luck
My son is pretty easy going and laid back as well. He was a really easy baby, and really didn't have any temper tantrums until around age 3.5 (about the time language was emerging). His most difficult period was between ages 3.5-4.5. Once we started 1:1 ABA therapy, and helped him increase his communication skills, the majority of his difficult behavior ceased.....and we got better at managing him.
There really isn't anywhere I can think of that we can't take him. In fact, many times he does better than his NT twin. At Disneyland in April he wanted to go on pretty much every ride, didn't matter how fast. On the other hand, my dd was very selective about which ones she went on, and they had to be real sllllooooowwww. He did great yesterday with the fireworks; sat outside with us until 10:15 watching them in the neighbord. This was while his sister was sleeping because she didn't like the noise.
He does great at parties, community events, county fairs, pretty much any kind of outing where there might be a lot of people and sounds. The only thing he isn't very good at is going clothes shopping with me......what guy is?????
I consider myself very fortunate. In many ways, he's a lot easier to handle on a daily basis than his NT twin....who happens to be both a drama queen an an attention seeker.
Wow, that must be so nice. My children are not like that at all. I am and I crave for calm to be around me. I have sensory issues too so I'm constantly stressed out.My Quincy just turned 4 in May and he is calm in terms of tantrums but he's a very hyper little boy. We can take him anywhere as long as there are not loud noises...he hates loud noises. Other than that, very good boy.
Karman