My son might have made a Christmas request!

[Lilicat]

This is big for me so I had to share it.

My older son is autistic and although he speaks it is pretty much all echolalia (copied words and phrases) he doesn't have free speech. He is very limited in his ability to ask for things or answer questions and it can often be hard to know how much he understands.

Despite this I am on a mission to choose something he would like for Christmas. I asked him and he just repeated what I had said back to him or answered the 'what would you like' bit of the question by listing things he likes (squid, ladder, raisin cake, splashes etc).

I showed him the Argos catalogue and he had a great time going through it showing me all the words he knew (table, chair, sink, bike etc) and all the children's characters he could recognise. I don't think he understands the concept of the catalogue showing you items you could potentially buy.

Anyway the other day he saw the advert for Toot Toot Animals and was transfixed, that isn't unusual he likes most adverts. Since then however he has kept coming up to me to say Toot Toot Animals. The Toot Toot Drivers advert is just a captivating and on far more but he never says Toot Toot Drivers.

I think this might be his first Christmas request!

The best bit is I have already got him Toot Toot Animals for Christmas, he has the pack of three as his Christmas Eve presents (family tradition, we open one present on Christmas Eve) and Father Christmas is bringing him the monkey in his stocking.

Hopefully he will be excited, it is so hard to get Christmas presents right for him but this seems like it could be a hit. I am slightly paranoid he just likes the advert though!

 

[Baby Bell]

fantastic, sounds to me that he's asking for the toot toot animals. I'm sure he will be one very excited and happy wee boy when he sees Santa brought him what he wanted

 

[motherofboys]

Aw how exciting! Thats fantastic. I bet he will be so happy with his toot toot animals.

 

[BabyHill]

Aww that sounds amazing hun, bet you can't wait to see his little face light up when he sees. You must be more in tune with his preferences than you think

 

[Eleanor ace]

Aw that is so great! I bet you can't wait for Christmas Eve now!

 

[Vicyi]

Hiw fantastic for you, clever mummy for already being on the right wavelength x

 

[CormacksGirl]

That's fantastic!

 

[jd83]

That's great! I'm sure he'll be one happy little guy to get that under the tree

 

[Lilicat]

Thank you for all the lovely responses. I know two of his major interest are animals and things that make noises which is why I went for the Toot Toot Animals but when they arrived I was worried he would consider them cars as they have wheels.

He likes the Toot Toot cars somewhat, enough to play with them occasionally but they are really his brother's interest.

He is going to see Father Christmas at the end of the month and I am wondering if that is what he will say when asked what he would like for Christmas. That is unlikely though, he is obsessed with Father Christmas so when he gets to see him he gets too excited to speak. He sits their laughing and flapping his hands with the biggest smile on.

Luckily Father Christmas is very understanding, we see the same one every year at the library. He remembers William every time and is brilliant with him. The first year he went William wouldn't look at him or speak to him, he only wanted to see the fairy lights so Father Christmas climbed up on his little sofa and lifted the lights down for William

Since then William has been his biggest fan, he doesn't understand Father Christmas brings presents or makes toys to him he is the nice man at the library who lets him sit in a special seat and look at the lights.

 

[DanielleM]

That is fantastic and what a lovely Santa, makes life a lot easier when you get understanding people xx

 

[motherofboys]

Aw what a great santa!

 

[Lilicat]

Father Christmas at the library is brilliant, he spends so much time with every child. Towards the end they are giving him ever more urgent reminders that he needs to lead the parade to switch the lights on but he always wants to take his time talking to the children.

He is the most lovely person, I hope he knows how much he is appreciated.

 

[Bevziibubble]

Aww that's great!

 

[Mummy May]

That's fantastic! And I love how nice your FC is! Xx

 

[meldmac]

Awww that is wonderful!!!

Wish we had your FC here, then maybe Colin would actually go near him. But Colin says he is scared of his white beard.

 

[marmaduke]

Aww, he sounds like a great father christmas.
Might use your idea of a little gift on christmas eve, do you give the gift at bedtime or
in the morning?

 

[Lilicat]

Might use your idea of a little gift on christmas eve, do you give the gift at bedtime or
in the morning?

I give the present at bedtime, my Mum started it when we were little to persuade us to go to bed! If we would agree to go to bed at a suitably early time to allow her to get stuff done we could take a small present.

It was usually something we could play with in bed before we fell asleep and it worked very well.

I add the boys gift to their Christmas Eve bag which they have about an hour before bedtime, Thomas is having the Toot Toot train and William is having the animals. I expect they will be laying in their bed/cot setting them off till they fall asleep.

I will then have to sneak in and remove them from the actual bed otherwise they will be rolling on them and setting them off all night!

 

[AP]

We've had a very similar experience this year, Alex has asked for a jigsaw, I was so excited!!! I have no idea if she fully understood but I totally understand how you feel!!!

 

[Wriggley]

aww how fantastic hun! and your santa sounds wonderful! how lovely!

 

[toptrump]

Awww this post has made me feel so warm and fuzzy amazing just fantastic