Coleman has about 15 children’s series shows that he loves,
maybe more. Backyardigans, Blues Clues,
Ni Hao Kai Lan, Jack’s Big Music Show and so many more. We phase through shows, watching one series
over and over for weeks and then, finally moving onto another. He knows every single word of every show,
including expressions, sighs, and of course, the music. He loves the music most. “Sing!” he demands when I am watching with
him, so of course I know every word too.
The past several weeks we’ve been watching Jack’s Big Music
Show. As you saw in my previous post,
Coleman likes to repeat things. Shows
are no different. He stands in front of
the T.V. bouncing up and down, repeating every word. Often, he wants me to repeat the sentence
that was just said, which means honestly, that I have to pay attention to what
Jack and Mary are saying on the Big Music Show.
For example, when Jack turns to Mary and Mel and exclaims, “Hey Mary!
Are you ready for Mel’s Super Swell dance party?!” Coleman whips around to me and says “Hey…” and
pauses. That’s my cue. I jump right in “Hey Mary! Are you ready for Mel’s
Super Swell dance party?!” I say this as if I am truly excited for the Super
Swell Dance Party. Which I am not, because
it means I also have to get up and dance, but that’s another story. And so the repeating continues. We take turns throughout the show, Coleman
saying most of the lines and me chiming in when he whips around and gives me my
cue. We have this little game down to an art.
He must be bored with it all, though, because recently he
started to change things up. And by that
I mean he decided to rename all of the characters. With not just random names. Instead, he uses names from other shows. Which, as a person required to participate, I
can tell you is incredibly confusing.
For example, in our recent episodes of Jack’s Big Music
Show, Coleman has changed the names of the main characters of Jack, Mary and
Mel to Dora, Uniqua, and Pablo respectively. Dora is from Dora the Explorer,
and Uniqua and Pablo are from the Backyardigans. This is a lot to follow here, right? Do you see why I’m struggling? Are you with me? Coleman sings along with the words but
perfectly changes the names within the narrative and songs to the new names he
has chosen. PERFECTLY. He never screws
it up. I’m struggling just listening and
then he whips around and with a big grin gives me my cue, and using the same
example above, instead of saying “Hey Mary! Are you ready for Mel’s Super Swell
dance party” I have to remember the new names and say instead “Hey Uniqua! Are
you ready for Pablo’s Super Swell dance party?!” Seriously, this is not just repeating
anymore. I have to really keep my shit
together. The struggle is real, folks. And I fail often. I stammer, “Hey..um..shoot, sorry, Coleman
who is Mary again?” He pauses the show
and looks at me like I am a complete moron. He might actually shake his head in
disbelief. And he gives me the tip: her name is Uniqua. He rewinds to my part and we try it again and
I get it right. On and on.
Last night before the show, I really studied the part. Mary is
Uniqua. Jack is Dora and Mel is Pablo. I went over and over it in my head so I was
ready. And when the show came on and
Coleman turned to me for my line, without missing a beat I exclaimed “Hey Uniqua!
Are you ready for Pablo’s Super Swell dance party?!” First time, nailed it. And the look he gave me? He was gleeful, smiling wide and staring at
me in near disbelief. It was pride, I
tell you. The child was so flipping
proud that I had gotten it right. And
this, my friends, is winning with autism.
J
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