my son's wiring

[sistawendy]

The Wendling is spending one of his regular weekends with me this weekend. Believe it or not, I was looking forward to a quiet weekend after this week, until I got out of bed this morning and went straight to the bathroom.

I found one hand towel rack taped together with masking tape. This rack is a stout lucite ring with a gap in it to allow it to clamp onto a ceramic fitting that is in turn glued onto a built-in cabinet. Yeah, I know, old and not exactly posh, but it came with the apartment so I'm responsible for it. There was some brief yelling. I'll try to super glue it sooner or later.

But how, you may ask, could that have happened? Through my son's lack of motor planning. He probably just grabbed the towel by both ends and he definitely yanked hard, as a chimpanzee might. He doesn't move his body so much as fling it, like a marionette controlled by a young child.

What on earth do I do about this? Before you recommend martial arts or dance, remember that he's old enough now I have to get him interested in something like that. And occupational therapy tends to be geared toward much younger children - he did that, he loved it, and I think it helped - but I don't think it addresses the kind of thing I'm seeing.

Masking tape? Really, kiddo?

Comments

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

I agree that he needs a motor planning activity.

My mother demanded that I pick "an activity to make me more graceful" when I was 16. She would pay for it, and there had to be one, but I got to pick it.
I did yoga for 6 months. Swimming for like ever (but I hate the water). Archery. Cycling.
I wrangled my best friend into it (he loved it, the Y is big with gay men).

People touch you gently in yoga, and I really don't like that.

Give him some options. You can pick it, but you have to do it.
He would probably like the firmness and squashing of akido (I loved that). Pilates is also muscle resistive.
Boxing.
Cross fit is pretty big right now.

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

I'm so saving this comment email and discussing it with Aspiring Ex.

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

Woot!

It's not just your son.
Nearly all of my teenage patients are (forced or like it) doing something motor.
You NEED it at all ages, but the confidence and grace gained at that age us especially important.

Nearly all of my patients with issues are in a martial arts. I think their parents like that if they aren't on the ball they get wacked in the head. (the one who isn't SO NEEDS IT).

[tylik.livejournal.com]

BTW, I run across you not infrequently, and you seem cool, so I have semi-randomly added you. I hope you don't mind.

As a martial arts instructor, I do have to confide that in instructor forums there is a great deal of bemoaning the amount instructors are often expected to whip kids into shape. Often without training or support.

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

Likewise! I was thinking the same thing yesterday.

But you do it! You guys do amazing work with my patients (and me)!
I'd still be enjoying having my ass handed to me twice a week if my foot wasn't permanently broken.

I'd bemoan that my field offers NO training on how to handle people either (like it just comes naturally or something) but it's something I'm actively working to change. I'm giving a lecture at our state conference on conflict resolution and I've joined the board!

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

I don't know what fabrication facilities you have but if you drill a small hole a short distance into each broken bit and put a little dowel in there it'll greatly increase the success possibilities. It'd work best visually if the dowel were made of something clear-ish; I could probably cut a little bit of 1/8" polycarbonate or the like and mail it to you if needed.

[bork.livejournal.com]

One thing that helped me a lot when I was a kid with motor issues was bicycling. I rode my bike all the time. Hell, you couldn't pry me off of it. And Seattle has a ton of biking paths.

[tylik.livejournal.com]

I certainly wouldn't recommend martial arts unless he was into it, having gotten more than an ear full from fellow martial arts instructors who are expected to help kids with behavior issues without training and without support. (Mostly younger kids, and the without support doesn't apply in this case, but an older kids who doesn't want to be there would be no picnic.)

Anyhow, the Seattle area teacher I'd most recommend for it is in West Seattle anyway... though MAPI might be worth checking out...

Hm. Mostly folks get their kids interest via the cool. And there is no shortage of options. Circle is chock full of circus classes, for instance, beside pretty much other physical discipline you could (but might not want to) shake a stick at.

Heh. Though I suppose if you wanted a stick to go along with the carrot, you can tell him you've been thinking of taking up ballroom dancing, and need to bring him along as a partner.

[dagard.livejournal.com]

Tai chi, maybe. Control, breathing, timing.

[parityanimal.livejournal.com]

Could have at least used duct tape. Doesn't he know you can fix ANYTHING with duct tape?