BTW I told my son yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Autism PDD

What are the 3 steps?  I couldn't find them at his website.

I'm really glad your conversation went well.  When I told my son a few months ago, I think it was a relief for all of us. 

I've heard of people using medicine cups for shampoo.  You could pour it for him before his bath, or help him fill the cup.  That also helps avoid wasting shampoo.

I bought foaming hand soap and really love it.  You can make your own refill by mixing 1 part soap to 3 parts water.  I use one of the dispensers for soap for washing dishes, and that particular soap works better at 1 part soap to 4 parts water. 

I haven't tried foaming shampoo yet, but figured I could use an empty foaming hand soap dispenser and whatever shampoo I wanted.

It's great that you're focusing on self-help skills.  I need to prioritize bathing skills because it won't be long before my son starts puberty and it's no longer appropriate for me to be in the bathroom with him.

Good luck with everything, and thanks for sharing your story.

well this was going to be a response to another thread but it started getting LONG LOL so here it is:

I told my son Gage yesterday!!!!!!
He is 6, almost 7, and I used to just tell him for a long time that he was just unique when he would get upset that he "can't talk right" he has severe stutter & speech problems also. God made you unique, Mommy is unique, sister is unique, ect.
Then my ex (who those of you who know me know is a complete $hithead!!!) Went behind my back and against my wishes and started telling him how some kids are just born "different" but didn't use the A word. My ex told him about a friend he had in high school who was born without a toe.
Needless to say Gage was very upset when he came home & I was furious with my ex for going behind my back like that when he only sees our kids TWICE A MONTH for 24 hours! If anyone should have told him it should have been me, my ex doesnt even go to any school meetings, conferences, nothing he is totally worthless, doesnt work, lives in his parents basement at 34, you get the idea...
Anyway so I explained to Gage that EVERYONE is born a little different. Mommy has a birth mark, sister has light blue eyes even though the rest of us don't, ect ect Went through tons of examples of this. He seemed to understand and I was able to cover up my ex's disastrous talk with him.
Finally yesterday after going to the conference, we came home & it just felt like "time". I followed the 3 steps written by Stephen Shore (http://www.autismasperger.net/) one of the speakers at the conference. It only took about and hour. And just like I had discussed with Stephen at the conference, STEPHEN WAS RIGHT. He already knew all those little things he had trouble with, and was very excited about the prospect of being able to stop writing with a pencil because I would be talking to his school about letting him use a pen!
We also talked about how having Asperger Syndrome is just a NAME for a set of things that make him unique. It doesn't make him sick or have to go to the hospital or anything.
He was technically diagnosed with PDD-NOS but has also received an Aspie diagnoses. I dont think he quite fits with Aspie but since he is high functioning I am sticking with that!
You know what? I don't know if it was our talk or not but he had an AWESOME day today! He was very happy, laughing, joking with sister, ect.
PLUS - I taught him how to make his very own sandwich for lunch and how to wash his own hair! I also made him take his plate & cup to the sink (and yes, he made a very crude sandwhich, didnt wash his hair that well, and spilled his plate and cup on the way to the sink - BUT I DID IT ANYWAY!!) One thing I learned at the conference is - YES, it may be EASIER to do things FOR them now but you have to remember -
you will still be doing it for them when they are 40!!!
so you might as well start trying to get them to do stuff now. Well, even though he spilled the cup and plate & had a really hard time squeezing the shampoo (we figure out a trick where he can use both hands to get some shampoo out if he squirts it onto his knee, then he can set the bottle down and "scoop" the shampoo off his knee to put on his head. But I need to find an easy to use foam pump shampoo, I think) & REALLY had trouble closing the bread package and getting the meat out for his sandwich, I think it has made him a LOT happier!!
He seemed so dang happy today! Laughing, playing, just really acting like he was happier. i am really glad that i told him, and also that I have finally had it drilled in my head that I cannot just do everything for him just because he cant do it very well. (And yes, I do intend to help him deep clean his hair every other day or so as he just doesnt have the motor skills, but at least this way he gets to know that half the time he does it himself). TY everyone!!! It was harder on me than him I think LOL He has been very happyThey are in his book for sale but I will post them later when I have more time!

WOW -- I wonder how T will react when I tell her.  So far, I only have told her that she learns differently from most kids.

We have already had to bring up her transracial adoption ... and her birth injury to her arm ... so she is used to these talks.

Ironically enough, there was a little girl at her summer daycamp program who is missing her lower leg -- she was adopted by a woman with a similar limb deficiency, and is VERY well-adjusted and outgoing, and a terrific kid.  Well, GUESS WHO only sees her limb deficiency?  SIGH.  No matter how much we work on explaining ... and FIVE weeks later, she is STILL talking about it.
Copyright Autism-PDD.net