Beautiful Monster

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful monster..."

No, that's not the beginning of some Cocteauesque fairy tale. It's what Isaac was saying as he sat on the floor of his room this afternoon, leafing through some books. Was it a script? Did he make it up? I don't know, but after a brief silence, he said:

"Once upon a time there was a bus."

Transportation? Yup, that's pure Isaac. I tried to get him to elaborate on the story, but he was pretty wiped out. Another time.

It's been a rough week, for those of you following the Family Room dramedy. We're gearing up for a check in meeting with several of Isaac's teachers and therapists on Monday, and it always makes me tense. Oh and thinking about the looming specter of what's next? Yeah, that too.

To take the edge off, we went to an open studio today. Isaac rode on Jesse's shoulders as we explored room by room, examining the paintings, pottery, printmaking and various wares of a range of artists, all while pillaging their snacks. I actually bought a painting, which was perhaps not the most practical or well-timed decision of my life, but it felt like the right thing to do, sort of a symbolic act. It's by a local artist named Kirsten Tradowsky and she has a sort of contemplative, slightly moody style that really speaks to me. And she paints children and school settings a lot. That's the painting at the top--it's called "Palace Theater."

Isaac did pretty well, but tended to prefer the artists who had bowls of pretzels or Goldfish on offer--he' a discerning guy. Later, we went for frozen yogurt, which he tasted, then refused, and sat with us until he became distracted by the design of the tiles on the counter. At that point he seemed to think the best plan would be to sit down right in front to get a better view, and ended up lying on his back as people stepped around him, glancing dubiously at us. I was trying a noninterventionist approach (i.e., too lazy to get up), but it probably just made me look clueless and out of control. J. ended up hustling Isaac out of the store as I licked the last taste of peach from my spoon.

We're home now, snuggled up on the sofa together. Isaac's watching Thomas while I tap this out on my laptop. We're all a little sleepy, and a little moody too, I guess. But we're getting there.

Comments

[drama mama]

Sounds like a day in the life. Of any parent.

I like the start of the story. I do something in my classes called "One word story" where each person adds a words one at a time and together builds a story. Sometimes we do two or three words at a time. We did it with Miss M (and still do it around the dinner table) and it really helps with bringing the kid "in". Go on the bus with him. Or with the beautiful monster. Much more interesting than freakin' princesses and dragons.

xoxo