Friday, July 15, 2011

Road Safety - Boundaries

I am really trying to stress roadside safety to my son. He needs to stay off the road and watch for cars. I don't think he fully understands the dangers of oncoming traffic. I live in town where traffic should drive slow but some people drive by faster than they should.

He has training wheels on a 20" bike now and he wants to go on the road. I have a small driveway and it's not exciting enough for him to stay in it anymore. I tell him in short sentences like when he was little, "No Road!" That's the way Birth to 3 taught us to speak to him so he learned to talk. Sometimes he listens and sometimes not. He will go on the edge and creep out into the road. I really have to keep a close eye on him. I turned around for a split second and he ran out with his dump truck through the curb and gutter running through the dirty water and leaves.  I have set up orange cones at the end of the driveway to give him a visual of where he needs to stop. 

He wants to go for bike rides ever since the other weekend my nephews rode off without him. They are twice his age and he wants to be like the big boys. He gets very heartbroken and trying to tell him he's too little makes him angry. This is when I first took him on the road. I have his little sister in a bike trailer and pull her while I make him stay on the side of the road.

Tonight we rode up to the elementary school playground. I have to warn him several times about the intersection with Yield and Stop signs. I tell him to "Stop and Look both ways. Stay on the side." He's doing good at staying at the side as long as I'm with him.

We got to the playground and there were 3 other kids there with their father. Dane played around with the wood chips and threw them down the slide and played by the water puddles mostly. The other kids left and he tried to follow them on his bike. I had to scurry and get his sister in the trailer and catch up to him. I yelled at him to "Stop!" but it's like he just spaces me out.

When we got to the end of the street those kids were saying "Hi, Dane!" One of the girls was in his class. Dane waved hi back. The girl went on to say how he was invited to a birthday party. I didn't know what to do so we kept on riding. It's nice to know that other children want to include him.

We got home and he took a bubble bath. He jumped out before I got to wash his hair. He hates his hair being touched. I can wash it but it takes patience. He screams the whole time. I try and show him a picture of hair washing to let him know he needs his hair washed. Sometimes it works better then others. Hair cuts are no better.

Dane has therapy from 9-12 tomorrow. I have to take a day off work soon under Family Medical Leave (FML) because the therapists want me there also. I wonder if his weighted vest came in yet? The therapists ordered one a few weeks ago. A women in the area makes them. I hope that helps.  I am having a hard time understanding when to use it on him.  Is it all the time? During sensory breaks?  When?

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