When “Enough” Starts to Hurt
Lately, Jimmy’s been getting… pushy.
And not the silly, giggly, playful kind of push that ends in laughter — this is different. It’s firm. Strong. Sometimes it hurts.
It’s a strange feeling when the hands you love most are the ones that catch you off guard. It’s not anger, not really. It’s confusion. It’s frustration. It’s communication without words — and it breaks my heart a little each time.
Because I know he’s not trying to hurt me. He’s trying to tell me something. I just don’t always know what.
So, we’re regrouping. I’ve decided to make large ¼-page PECs with photos of his favourite snacks and activities — cereal bars, blueberries, chips, a sandwich, his iPad, his Buddy, cuddles, and yes… a diaper change (because just tossing it at me is not a communication strategy that’s working for either of us 😅).
These will go in a central spot where he can easily find them — big, visible, and simple. The goal isn’t to make it pretty; it’s to make it work.
The professionals usually suggest using generic symbols, and of course we have the iPad communication app too. It’s amazing in theory — and it works beautifully for school — but at home, it just doesn’t fit how we function.
At home, photos make more sense. They connect to his world. He recognizes his food, his toys, his people. It’s what he understands.
So while the “ideal” system might look different on paper, I’m learning to trust what works for us.
Maybe that’s not the official, textbook way — but the truth is, I may never really know if it’s the “right call.” All I can do is make the best choice I can in this moment, for this child, in this home.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what parenting is — one decision at a time, made with love, trial, and a whole lot of hope.
I’m also considering bringing the stroller back for mealtimes. Not as a setback, but as a safe space. It’s familiar to him — contained, grounding. And if it helps him stay calm and eat without stress, then it’s worth it. Sometimes moving forward means circling back to what worked before.
This stage is hard. It’s exhausting and emotional. But it’s also full of small, quiet victories — the moments where I see him try, or reach for a card, or look at me in a way that says, “You’re getting warmer, Mom.”
Those are the moments that matter.
And since it’s Thanksgiving, it feels right to say this — I’m thankful.
Not because it’s easy, but because we keep finding our way through the hard.
For the lessons that show up disguised as frustration.
For the patience I didn’t know I had until I needed it.
And for a little boy who keeps teaching me that love is louder than words — even on the days it comes with a shove. ❤️
If you’re parenting, teaching, or loving a child who communicates in ways the world doesn’t always understand — I see you. It’s okay to choose what works over what’s “right.” To pause, to pivot, to try again tomorrow.
You never fail to amaze me my friend!
Mums and dads know their children best. The best teachers, doctors, nurses psychologists et al are the ones who acknowledge that the parent/ guardian knows their child best. To others what seems a crazy and impractical solution to the problem if put forward by those closer to the child, is the one that is going to work. The gut instinct is scientifically proven to be real. You have it in buckets full. Looking forward to reading and seeing the progress you make together xx