Prepared Set Study Ceaselessly – AGE OF AUTISM
One of my daughters finds great comfort and joy in the TV shows she watched as a toddler and youngster. Every so often, she finds a way to tell me that she wants to find a certain program on YouTube. Yesterday, she was singing a song in her inimitable fashion. It took me a few listens to know what she was singing. From 1992 – 2008, The Learning Channel had early morning children’s programming that they called “Ready, Set, Learn.” The bumper between shows when my daughter watched was an adorable cartoon about a penguin named Paz and his Mom. Shows included Skinnamarink TV, Jay Jay the Jet Plane (before CGI!) Hip Hop Harry, High 5, Peep and the Big Wide World ( before PBS) and Pappyland. Pappyland was a local programming show from Syracuse, that found its way to the big leagues on TLC. Yesterday, my daughter was singing the Pappyland theme song. I found episodes on YouTube, and I only wish I could show you her JOY as she heard the theme song begin. She sang at the top of her lungs, and stimmed, and smiled her beautiful smile.
We all crave certain comforts, nostalgia is soothing. Is this what drives my daughter? Is this when he neurological status fully changed – into autism – and she is stuck there? I do not know. I know that she is very happy. And I will be listening to this song for quite some time. I until I unravel the next mystery for her.
I’m sure some folks would tell me to extinguish this juvenile behavior and bring her forward. I will, just as soon as the Brady Bunch episode is over….XOX
