Before You Open Your Mouth...

I was busy in my kitchen the other day and caught a glimpse of my son, Matthew, on his knees on the kitchen floor next to the dining room table reaching up and getting into all his DVDs that were piled on the table above him. Realizing how quickly he could make that piled up stack of DVDs disappear into a mess on the floor and already seeing the beginnings of that happening I continued to do what I was doing in the kitchen while telling Matthew to put the movies back up...Matthew, put the movies up...put them back on the table...put it up, Matthew. Matthew put the movie up.

I turned to see Matthew now sitting on the floor in the living room with his hand high above his head holding up that DVD movie with a great, big beautiful smile on his proud face. I had to laugh under my breath and then I praised Matthew and told him how proud I am of him because he listened to mommy and he did EXACTLY what mommy said...he put the movie up!

I assumed Matthew would know what I meant for him to do and because I was busy, I didn't slow down long enough to think before I opened my mouth and proceeded to give Matthew directions. It humbled me and made me once again aware that I need to be very aware of how I word something for Matthew and to give him clear, precise directions so that he is able to easily understand what I am saying, asking or wanting from him.

I am usually careful about how I word things with Matthew when I am talking to him or asking him to do something. Sometimes, for Matthew, when he finally understands something I need to use that same phrase everytime I ask that particular task of him. I know this to be true for some other kids who have Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum as well.

Often times some kids with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum will take things that are said very literally and will proceed to follow those verbal directions exactly.

I will do my best to think before I open my mouth now and be aware of how I word something when talking to Matthew and I will never forget his hand high above his head holding his movie up and his big smile.

Do you have a cute or funny story to share about your own child. If so jump right in and feel free to post a comment. I'd love to hear all about it.