Not Going to Jail... Part Two... though his therapist might hear about it some day!

Part One's activity, so I don't forget... we were tapping some boxes and he wasn't very good at it, getting his body parts caught.

I have a great kid. I know him pretty well, and well, he is a 'late bloomer' when it comes to social skills. Having been a late bloomer learning social skills myself [20's... 30's] I know how to prep him now so that he doesn't have to miss out on anything the way I did. I figure if I can help him with some tricks and be more comfortable being uncomfortable, then eventually, with practice, the uncomfortable-ness of speaking up, to others, general socializing will be abated.

[Did you get that DJ? I used the word ABATED. Do you remember that this week you were to use it in a sentence? :)]

Back to the story...DJ is in his early 10's. He confided a while back that he liked a girl in school, though that's as far as he was willing to take it. So a few weeks ago, I asked him to ask her what her favorite color was. He said, "WHAT??" I made it difficult for him to not do this. He came back and said it was black.

As I was hearing him tell the story, I realized he had not asked her in private, but at the whole lunch table, of which she was a part.
Me: Tsk, tsk, tsk. You have to ask her in private.
DJ: Why?

Next mission, ask her what her second favorite color is, in private.
Grumble, grumble from DJ.
He finds out it is red and he did ask her privately.

A number of weeks go by and it is now getting close to giftmas. We have been making origami balls and DJ took them to school to show his sensei and classmates. He said they all were impressed and wanted one, especially the girl that he likes. I suggested that he makes one, out of her favorite color, just for her and then give it to her as a gift.
DJ: Do I have to put my name on the tag?
Me: Yes.
DJ: Then everyone will know I like her.
Me: How about if you put it in her cubby, the last day before giftmas vacation, at the end of the day, that way she can't talk about it to her friends until school starts up again and by then, it might not seem like a big deal.
He went for it.
So he made a black ball and teeny tiny red one. Wrapped them, put his name on it. Day came and he delivered it, but due to bad timing, she had already left the campus!

You know what's coming don't you? Yup, I made him call her to tell her that he left a gift in her cubby and that if she wanted it before school started again, she could drop by the school and pick it up. Am I cruel cool or what? He DID NOT like this idea at all! We wrote out the things he was going to say and we practiced it. This was his first exposure to this coping-skill... writing down what you are going to say over the phone and practicing it out loud. And his first phone call to a girl!!:)

He was extremely nervous! Which to a mom, is just the cutest thing.
He called and no one was home.
We waited a while. Called again, no answer.
A few more hours, still no answer.
This time we practiced what to say on the answering machine.
He called and left a message.
Me: That wasn't so bad was it?
DJ: Are you kidding, that was torture!
Me: Smiles