The boys have been badgering me all morning for X-box time, and I finally give it to them. But we have the console timer set to 15 minutes, which expires when I am in the shower. Primo charges into the bathroom with a controller to get me to add more time. All that heightened emotion, perfect opportunity, I think to myself, to set up what they often call a playful obstacle. So I just keep showering while he jiggles excitedly and fails to actually look at me or ask for anything. Eventually he realises nothing's happening and makes eye contact, extending the controller towards me, standing in a stream of water. I make a big face and spread my arms, hoping to convey the message, "how do you expect me to do that right now?" A look of understanding comes across his face. He disappears till the shower is off. Then he comes back, shuffling towards me making "funny" noises and pushing his face into my chest. Again I don't react, making him look at my face for information. He does so, and I shake my head and make a gentle kind-of disapproving expression -- this is not how you ask for something. Admittedly with a silly voice, he then asked me to give him more time. I did so.
I'm satisfied that in those 2 exchanges I was able to get him to take in more of his context, I gave him an opportunity to remember and practice where to look for important information (the face), I gave him some manageable expressions and gestures to communicate important information about myself, I believe that he learnt something about waiting ... I could pull it apart more, but this is the stuff I care about, this is the stuff that will allow him to function in the world. Is it so hard to understand?
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