Logan Likes Strange Videos: Autistic Kids Rock!

How to wash your hands in thirty seconds. It's terrible and terribly funny at the same time.

And what else is there to write about or laugh about in times like these? Nothing's better than the innocence of a child and a bit of laughter from a stupid video.

All yesterday and today my mind has been out of focus. I can't wrap my head around the fact that people can mass in thousands to protest, while others turn into criminal mobs by night.

They are all wearing masks but something tells me it has little to do with preventing any virus.

And California is still not completely open......because of a virus. Evil bastard politicians and the cronies that bankroll them are cheering with glee. And they still won't win.

"Stupid is as stupid does". Forrest Gump

I've allowed my mind to wander back to what's been unsettling me, but only for a moment.

And only to highlight the contrast between it and the wonderful blessing of a child's trust, love, and attention.

How To Properly Wash Your Hands: By HowToBasic

This is all it took to un-break my mind and focus on my writing for today. I have to warn you, though, that the video is nowhere near as good without an autistic child named Logan to physically walk up and share it with you.

Autism Is A Huge Challenge With So Many Rewards

Just like every other part of life, our outlook decides our outcome. Logan didn't choose to be autistic and we didn't choose it for him either.

Besides the basic requirements of love, protection, and sustenance that parents provide, my wife and I teach Logan to celebrate his life, to come to love and respect himself.

He's Come So Far And Grown So Much

To give a brief synapses of his journey, Logan didn't even really speak until he was about 7 + or 8 years old. I always had the sense that he had a lot he wanted to say. It was there in his eyes, but he just didn't trust the words to come out and tell it right.

Sounds just the like the process of becoming a writer!

Now, Logan doesn't speak perfect English but he rattles off sentences and paragraphs getting every bit of his point across to the receiver.

Communication has been conquered.....mostly. Until there's a breakdown.

Frustration Can Shut Logan Down

I have to ask myself, who doesn't shut down when they get frustrated? Logan does stil become frustrated easier than it seems he should about some things. Sometimes he slams his feet and his hands, but he rarely acts out physically the way he used to.

When Logan was younger and didn't speak, the frustration was much worse. He didn't know how to express himself with other kids so he bit them when they upset him. Several preschools invited him to no longer attend and we had to keep looking.

Then we found Discovery Isle in Oceanside. Public programs helped at the time to afford this place, but it was the culture we were immediately drawn to.

My wife and I explained to the Principle about Logan's lack of speech which led to improper behavior around other kids. She told us they had an incredible program to help with speech.

But when she told us how they would handle any biting, we were all in. She said that if Logan bit another child, he would be required to care for that child. He would clean any wound and hold ice on it. If it required a band aid, he would be the one that had to put it on.

He would learn what it meant to hurt another person by having to take care of them. And so he did on at least a couple occasions.

Logan had some recurring problems with other kids in first and second grade. But since he learned how to express himself, he hasn't had a single issue.

Drugs Are A Tough One

My wife and I were split over whether or not Logan should take drugs to help with his Autism and ADHD. We both wanted to use non-pharmicuetical methods to help with development, but I thought we should at least give the pills a try.

We've now seen incontravertable evidence that the pills help Logan focus at school. There's just way too much stimulation for him to handle without them. The meds help Logan block outside distractions and focus on the work at hand.

His mind takes in everything around him and he can't focus with all that stimulation on something like school work.

My mind has been feeling the exact same way for the past two days!!

The Blessings Of Autism

I want to end with this, the reason Logan holds the power to gain anyone's love and affection. It's how he fixed my brain today and doesn't even know he did.

Logan has zero pretenses. He doesn't know how to hate from everything I've seen of him. He knows how to get mad and frustrated but always cools off.

There's no need to worry about ulterior motive or hidden meanings in his communication. Logan means exactly what he says without much filter. It's innocence at its best and it's the kind of relief we need more of in this crazy world.

At least I do. I'm willing to bet most of you could use a little relief from all the nonsense as well. Hopefully, Logan was able to share a bit of that with you too.

Thanks for reading and as always,

Happy Hiveing!!!

@inalittlewhile

Images Courtesy Of My Galaxy S10+
Bottom Image Courtesy Of Hive.io Brand Assets