“Oh DJ”
DJ is helpful, funny, laid back, shy. He also loves to draw, and laugh. My life with him can be challenging, just like my life with my other children. To say that having a special needs child is always difficult would be wrong. I mean don’t get me wrong, there are days when we are both so frustrated that he’s crying and I am in my room debating if I want to cry too. Sometimes it’s hard when he’s crying and we are all trying to troubleshoot the “why”. I realize for him that he’s trying to get his point across and he can’t verbalize it.
There are days when things are calm and DJ is sitting on the couch cuddled up with Padre (my husband) on his tablet, or running around the house with his younger brother and sister, or him trying to convince his older sister to open that third snack behind my back. It seems that everyday when I say, “DJ, do you love me”? and he responds with, “NO! Paige” and I have to tickle him to say, “yes”.
Like any other teenager, he picks out his clothes and he has his own style. He, like other teens, only likes to wear certain types of pants although I am still trying to convince him to put on jeans but he’s not going for it. Lately, he has been wearing a hat with gloves around the house. I have decided that I am going to chalk that up to being a teenager because I have no other explanation.
In school DJ likes to hide behind things and try to scare his teachers. He likes to help the other kids in his class… especially the girls. At his dad and stepmom’s house he likes to chase the cat around and build with legos.
DJ has a tablet he uses to help with his verbal communication because he only says a few words but the problem is at home we are not consistent. Why? When he’s home we can normally figure out what he wants. Now that he’s “home schooled” I’ve been trying to use the tablet more, and he is not interested in doing so. (Insert frustration on my end).
My life can be what every other person experiences with their child. He’s a teenager trying to figure this all out too. DJ makes me sit and realize all the small moments are the big moments. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but we will figure it out like we do with everything…. Like a family.
Well this is My Life With DJ!