Monday, November 8, 2010

Trump Card

It's not very often that I get to claim that my job is more stressful than my soldier's. I am the first to admit I have no clue what it's really like to be in the army, nor do I think I could handle it. I would be the girl leaving basic crying hysterically because someone yelled at her! And since my job keeps me safely at home with no chance of me encountering terrorist's, IED's and living in horrible conditions do I ever try and claim that I have it harder than he does.

But certain days I am able to do so. And today was one of those days. I have mentioned that I am a behavioral therapist who works with kids who have autism. Some days the job can def be stressful and challenging but other days are just plain fun. Today though I was pushed to the limit. While my hubby sat in a classroom all day attending a training course, I was spat on, kicked repeatedly and slapped while also blocking flying objects such as shoes, remote controls and metal water bottles being thrown at me from a 7 year old. As a behavior analyst we are taught and trained to ignore such behaviors and block so that the child can cause no harm to themselves or others. But really all I wanted to do was run from the room

After that session I had one more kid to go. I was already stressed and tense and couldn't wait to end my work day. I was pulling out of the post housing complex that I had been at and stopped at the stop sign. Before turning I made sure the way was clear. The sun was setting between houses and causing a huge glare from the reflection on the street sign. Not to mention a soldier was out jogging with his reflector belt. When I thought he had passed I slowly stepped on the gas. And... almost ran over another soldier who I never saw due to the glare and reflection. Luckily I didn't hit him and he laughed at my apologies and shocked look on my face. Thank god I didn't step on the gas hard. I seriously would have hit him

Needless to say when work was finally over I was more than ready to go home. The hubs had gotten off at two so I walked in on him sitting on my freshly dusted coffee table, with 5 soda cans and a bag of chips piled around him. I had to remember whether or not I had entered my grown up apartment or my college apt! I ignored this and heated up dinner which thankfully was leftover's from the night before. When we finally sat down to eat M asked me for a soda. I paused and debated about what to say. I held my tongue and politely mentioned that maybe there was some soda left in the 5 cans cluttering our coffee table. He of course tried to insist that some were mine from yesterday. Nice try hubs and I then called him out on the fact that he had sat in a classroom all day and was home by 2. This clearly did not phase M as he stared at me with his so what look. I trumped this by stating that not only did I almost run over a solider, that I had had three, not one by three loogies spat at me. Two in my face and one in my hair. Even M was stunned. He quietly got up, got his soda and didn't say another word. Yes for once I was able to trump him in the who had a more stressful work day game!
Point for me



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9 comments:

  1. Haha good for you! I miss talking to you, will email you in the morning!

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  2. I've had those moments too! Glad he realized that it was not the time to mess with you.

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  3. Wow, what a day! I admire you and what you do. I have worked with a few autistic children in my experience as a teacher. I am not sure I would be patient enough to do what you do.

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  4. Wow, you did have a very eventful and stressful day! So glad you pulled the trump card, I would have to!

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  5. For the past two summers I've worked with kids with special needs ranging from autism to downs. I understand completely, there were days I just wanted to run away crying. I would constantly argue with my fiance that my job was harder than his (he was working construction at the time) and every once in a while he would agree. Hope tomorrow is a better day!

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  6. I didn't know this was your job. I am a speech-language pathologist and kids with autism are my favorites. :)

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  7. I'm sorry.. but the loogie comment made me laugh so hard. :) ...and I'm thinking that these kids probably shouldn't have metal water bottles..? hahah!

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  8. I worked with special needs kids for about year after we got here... Munchkin is globally delayed (we're going to have more testing done at the end of the month because something's just not right), so having my own child that needed extra attention and working with kids who were developmentally delayed, autistic, had asperger's syndrome and a whole other list of problems, I just couldn't handle it.... I actually missed being in the Army some days with what those kids would put me through, on top of what my own did/still does.

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