Computer Games

The tiny little steps of progress with Mason are always huge events to write about. So that's what I'm about to do.

First the background ~ Mason has learned to use the computer at school. He can easily make his way around Reader Rabbit Toddler, a program for ages 1 - 3. So we set up our old slow computer for him at home over Christmas. He has been playing on it off and on during the day. First thing, he will get one of the dining chairs and bring it to the desk. Next he gets a second one for me or another person to sit on. He likes having someone next to him sometimes.

Yesterday, I had rolled the desk (on castors) into our bedroom, thinking that Mason could go a whole morning without the computer. After breakfast, Mason went a got a chair and put it in front of where the computer normally sits. Then he got the second one and placed it beside the spot the computer normally sits. Then he took my hand and plunked me down in the guest chair. Then he stood and looked at the blank wall where the computer should be. I said "no computer" and he began to cry. He followed me as I walked past the front door, then lay down on the floor to cry some more. I said, once again, "no computer". He cried a bit more, then suddenly stopped crying, looked directly at me and clearly said," La la?" That's his word for computer. How could I say no again after that?

The hugeness of the event is his clear verbal communication. Because his speech is so extremely limited, his communication lies in crying (like a baby does) or taking our hand and leading us to what he wants. I always try to make him verbalize his request, even though he uses the same one or two generic words in his request. But this is the first time he verbalized a request without being promted first.

A very exciting day for us! It's so neat to see his brain working and thinking!