Additional Needs

I Just Want to Protect Him…

Posted by Zowie Kaye on 5th August 2016 Additional Needs, Disabilities

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The joy didn’t last!

Now, Cameron is quirky and when he gets excited can flap around and can be quite dramatic and loud.

This clearly became too much for the boys very quickly.

A few occasions after he had gone out to play he had returned inside after five or 10 minutes saying they had gone in to have their tea.

Then as we were returning home one evening I saw the boys notice the car as they were coming out of one of the gardens, doing a complete 360 and going hiding in the garden.

Cameron had not seen this but I realised in that moment that they were hiding from him.

Cameron then spotted them and asked straight away can he go and play, I told him that the weather was not great and it was tea time.

This then continued for a few occasions where I was keeping him inside when he could hear them playing outside.

A week or so passed and my family had said, let him try. Don’t force him inside, kids will be kids. 

So I let him go outside again, he took his ball and was playing on the green. 

As I was watching I noticed Cameron go into the road and I shouted that should I see him do this again then he would be coming in. 

I stood out of view and watched one of the boys pick Cameron’s ball up and throw it into the road.

As he went to retrieve it I went out and asked the little boy why he would do that and that it’s dangerous (albeit a quiet avenue). 

He had no reply. 

My son was heartbroken that I had made him come inside, I told him that the boys did not want to play with him and were trying to get him into trouble and that friends should not do that.

The boys don’t play outside our house that much now or even within ear shot.

I have seen them look towards the house and run past to go and play at the bottom of the street where Cameron won’t hear them.

What can I do?

I don’t want to have to explain that he is different; why should I?

I don’t want the label to isolate him. He has some wonderful friends at school and I try to go above and beyond to grow those friendships – but what kid can’t play outside because he won’t be included?!

So again I’ve left it and avoided it for about a month.

This week we have had some scorching weather and I heard the kids out. Cameron asked to go out and play and I told him he could go and have 10 minutes.

Sure enough this was enough time for them to go and make their getaway and go and play in a garden directly opposite our house without him.

He asked could he get his bike out to ride around the green. I beckoned him over and said:

“Cameron your friends have left you again, look they have gone over in that garden to play on their own. Would you leave any of your friends out and not play with them” – he shook his head.

This is what I hate about Autism; that my baby is different and even though he conforms and is successful; and even though people are becoming more accepting of disabilities – we can’t control the situations all the time.

I just want to protect him... but I have to let him experience growing pains.