Chapter 24 - Eli becomes loud again
For several months, Eli stopped complaining around adults.
At first, I thought:
Maybe he’s less sensitive.
Then his kindergarten teacher called.
“He seems reluctant to tell us when something bothers him.”
My stomach tightened.
She explained.
A classmate kept clicking a pen beside him.
Eli covered his ears.
Teacher asked:
“Want him to stop?”
Eli said:
“No.”
Then cried later.
His therapist said:
“He learned that complaint can create retaliation.”
That hurt.
So we practiced.
Not:
Everything must stop because Eli dislikes it.
Instead:
Say what you need.
Then tolerate reasonable answers.
“Can you stop spraying that near me?”
Reasonable.
“No, I’m using cleaner; you can step outside for a minute.”
Also reasonable.
“I don’t like the blender.”
“Cover your ears while I use it.”
Fine.
The world did not need to become scent-free.
Eli needed confidence that speaking would not make someone punish him.
By age seven, the whining returned.
I celebrated privately.
Then regretted it because seven-year-old whining is terrible.
May you like
Still.
Normal.
