Stephanie

Put a big sign in YOUR garden saying "what are you looking at you nosey biatch" and see if she looks in your garden!

Some kids with ASD show incredible intellect - but are not savants. There are very few in the world. I think it would difficult to get your child labelled with that. I find that the professionals totally ignore the "specialisms" my child has and concentrate on the more classic areas of autism. The things he knows and can recite, astound me on a daily basis ... but I wonder what use they will be. You chose a good place to start, there are zillions of websites if you wanted to do some research. Good luck.

Baddad was that an 18 hour Miss Mary of Sweden corset?? I often wondered about those, what happens when your 18 hours are up, do you explode out of it ... ticking begins ... everyone run for cover!!!!

Ha ha ha!! Nice one .. and I am not mocking the afflicted because I too am one.

Yeah but the average age worldwide would be higher due to the poorer continents like Africa and Asia and if 4 is the average age, then their must be kids still suckling at what 8-10 years of age??? Surely once the milk teeth are gone .... oh I don't want to go there. I wonder what the average age in the UK is.

I am staying with my opinion on System of a Down, they even wrote this for you:- Auriel, in the sky, when you lose small mind, you free your life. Auriel,so up high, when you free your eyes, eternal prize Anyhow ... Shaving Peaches by Terrorvision.

I think mainly because bands have their own sound, which is why I like them. Of course their new CD's sound like their old ones ... good. When bands knock out albums that are far from their usual sound it doesn't seem to work and they lose a lot of fans. Usually happens around the 3rd album. Anyway Auriel - mwah! Infernal Love by Therapy?

We hire various lodges with hot tubs. My son (age 5 HFA) absolutely loves it and has always been calmed by water. However, I think with all the bubbles and blowers going (which makes a loud hum) it is not as tranquil as you might expect for them. I don't know of any harm it can do, we have taken our other son (NT) in there right from birth, to a maximum of 40 degrees (during winter). You would probably need to look to the Manufacturer to find out if you should avoid it for any particular medical reasons. You can regulate the water temperature anyway. You often get those health restrictions with spas and saunas about blood pressure, heart disease blah blah. We also looked into getting one for home but you need a side entrance wide enough to fit the whole tub through and our side gate will not accommodate - shame. Incidentally, if anyone wants any recommendations on lodges with hot tubs, contact me, I know some great parks (sorry to hijack your thread there!) I will do a bit of research for you and let you know if I come up with anything. If you are getting one yourself, tell us and we'll all come round and have a go ... this is the place for stressed parents in need of relaxation!

Paranoid

Oh wow, I never knew that ... they still have to sit exams etc don't they? Surely someone moderates the fact that you are home educating your children?? So you could keep your kids at home watching TV all day if you wanted to? Seems to make a bit of a mockery out of the system then. (sorry to sound so naive, I know nothing about it) Right I am off to build a tipee in the back garden out of twigs with my kids ... yeah right! In fact we are off to the library - how's that for home education? Little one will be wearing a nappy though!

People that listen to Mark Knopfler usually have zimmer frames, not canes ... and are in need of new hearing aids ... lol! Well if you can dish it out ... lol, just messin'! Have a good day!

Sorry Will ... will it disappoint you to hear that I was listening to Linkin Park's Live in Texas yesterday? It was for my son - honest! Good old Maiden though, you can't beat a bit of Brucie, foot up on the amp box (?) giving it his all at the top of his voice ...! Auriel is probably doing a Google right now to try and find an even more obscure CD title and band just to 'impress us'. Can't wait.

Ha ha ha. I kind of felt the same, I am very pro breastfeeding and have breastfed both of mine but there is no real need for a child of 5 to be doing it is there? Even on an emotional level?? Do any other mammals feed their young for so long? I question how those mothers will cope when their child becomes independant from them, when they start to become unique individuals with their own friends and interests. When children become too trapped by their parents they tend to rebel and fight for their independence even more so. I do believe that the mothers have real issues with themselves and their own insecurities. As far as the parents who were supposedly home schooling (but not following any kind of curriculum??) is that allowed?? I think they were being educated whilst the cameras were there, take the cameras away and those kids get free license. Their lack of discipline and boundaries was interesting to say the least. Life has rules and boundaries. The EC or whatever it was called - the lack of nappies - surely that can't work can it?? Why would you want it to? Poor child will be made to feel a failure ... and how unhygenic - yuck. Also their husbands are very supportive and tolerant. I know what mine would say.

Boots (as in Dora the Explorer's Monkey side kick) ...

Wow ... did anyone see that programme last night on alternative parenting. There was somewoman into breastfeeding her school age children ... and a group who do not believe in putting their children in nappies, and just watching for their facial expressions ... then taking them outside or to the toilet and squatting them. Like they have to be with them 24/7 to watch over them ... it all went horribly bad when the woman was in the kitchen and the baby (only 9 months) pooed all over the floor and was covered in it up to the knees. It is all about free expression, non confining them to nappies etc ... ... er, different .... but I will stick to nappies and a fresh smelling carpet thanks!

I've just been vacuuming to Metallica's Black Album. Hey Auriel, I didn't start this thread to be insulted. Besides, I stand by the fact that System of a Down kick butt! Now lets just review your posts ... hmm I see ... seems like someone is a little angst ridden ... well don't take it out on my CD collection!!!

My 5 year old is only ever interested in watching anything on TV or DVD that has subtitles. He doesn't want to watch programmes that don't have them. For the last couple of years, he really hasn't been interested in TV at all, but since he found what fun he can get out of the Sky remote control and using subtitles and audio description, he is really getting into it. He is also copying a lot more of the things he hears (echolia) from using the subtitles. He has been able to read since he was two and has always been fascinated by the written word, I have posted on here before about the possibility of him being hyperlexic. I know sometimes he takes a while to process things that are said verbally to him and I think he may process the text more quickly? Can anyone shed any light on this? Will this go away?

Yeah leave all the chores and housework until about an hour before they come home and in the meantime ... enjoy the silence!

Mezmerize by System of a Down "RAWK"! (pulling devils horn sign on hand) ...

Great news, just keep talking! I know not the best advice for an Aspie ...!

Hey, hi, sounds like you have been going through the mill a bit (to say the least). I am no one to judge but it all seems a bit of a quick turnaround ... the text thing, the affair thing, the moving out thing, the poss moving back in thing, the kid thing etc etc. To have actually moved out took some guts and seemed quite pre-meditated. Why was she so afraid to tell you all about it?? Now that your wife has found somewhere else to live etc etc, maybe you should spend a little time apart to really focus and clear your heads and discover what it is you really want. It sounds all too soon for your wife to have realised that "the grass is greener on the other side" - she may just want some time out alone to do all the things she wants to do, a bit of personal space. It will clear the air, you could meet a couple of times a week and go on dates and go back to courting type stuff until you decide which way it is going to go. (Sorry to use the word courting, only Grandparents say that!) It sounds like you have been doing the right thing - by talking (which we all know must be very difficult under the circumstances). You could try going to Relate if you felt that you would be able to talk to them. You can go to see someone (or even communicate through e mail) either individually or as a couple. Check their website. It really sounds like she has been putting a lot of thought in about the possibility of having a child (even though she may have been in denial). I know it can be different for men, but you do not regard your own child the same as anyone elses. Before I had kids, I could never envisage myself changing a nappy, but for your own kids, you do anything without blinking an eyelid. Adopting a 5-6 year old ... I think it would be harder to build a bond (and they still yelp and squeal and cry at that age - only louder!) A puppy or pet may be a good idea or may "bridge a gap" for a while, but I don't think it would be a long term solution. It would give you both a new focus though. Whatever happens, keep talking to her, talk to us ... get it all out. Good luck hun.

It was cute, made me feel a bit sad in some places and happy in others. The children were hilarious though ... I would be mortified if my little boy was at school saying things like that (like how big their dad's willies are and that they were going to have sex with each other), it was all innocent but blimey ... my son has never even heard of the word sex - and I'm glad! Just goes to show though, how you try and protect them only for another more worldly wise kid to come along and corrupt them ... my son heard a swear word at school from another 4 year old and I was livid.

GIFT (as in gold, Frankenstein and Mhyrr) ... come on at least one kid says it every year at the nativity!

Meds - Placebo

Interesting - my son lost his first tooth on Saturday. I had noticed a new one coming through the gum underneath and that his two front bottom teeth were wobbly (he hadn't noticed). Then on Saturday we were playing on the beach and I noticed he looked different so I said "oh my god, you've lost your first tooth" and he said "yeah I know, I spat it out in that shop we just went to". He hadn't even thought of telling me, like it was nothing ... and I was worrying terribly about how he would cope ... with the sensory stuff and all the changes etc. So I guess I am saying, I wasted a lot of worry ... it might be fine. He doesn't seem to know or care that the other tooth is wobbly and will fall out within the next week or so ... most kids would be there wobbling it trying to get it out. I have told him he has to hang on to it next time (I want to keep them) if he wants the tooth fairy to call. My Dad used to do the old string on the tooth and slam the door technique - nightmare memories!