My Little Destructor

Cooper had a long couple weeks off from school. Rather, Cooper had a break from school and mom lost her mind. And so did dad. I think we were both actually excited to go back to work. And I see it more and more how much Cooper needs structure. I also need structure. Cooper would watch movies ALL DAY if we let him. And oddly enough there is an emotional strain on me when he does that. I feel like such a failure. I was looking through pictures getting ready for this blog and I was shocked at how almost every picture is of Sawyer doing and activity and Cooper in the background watching a movie. It’s heartbreaking too me.

Anyhow, Super Cooper has started a new phase. Long gone are the days of sucking on his blankets and t-shirts, the throwing of any object big or small, the sucking on tooth brushes, and the tantrums. Now, we have entered a somewhat silly, destructive phase. And it’s going to push me over the edge. I swear.

It started simply enough. Cooper couldn’t handle any type of blanket, pillow or even bigger cushions to be on couches. He would knock them off. No matter how many times I picked them up he would knock them off. Fine. I made a rule…no blankets or pillows in the living room. It was a sanity thing.  And for a long time it was good. Then a few weeks ago while I was changing the sheets on Cooper’s bed, the little prince realized that he had a mattress pad on his bed. It’s one of those foam egg carton things. And so it began.

He carried it around the house. He wrestled with it. On it. Under it. He played hide-and-seek with it. And so on. We’d make Cooper’s bed and he would take it apart. Off came the sheets, the pad, and sometimes even the mattress. My sanity waivered. Like, really waivered.

We resorted to only making his bed before nap and bedtime. And as soon as we closed the door he would tear apart the bed. Upon checking on him he would be curled up with a tiny blanket on the mattress. I had this thought….’what kind of horrible mother let’s her child sleep on a cold mattress.’ Raises Hand. This mother!

And then it progressed to our bed. To toilet paper. To diapers. To laundry baskets full of clean clothes. Destruction with a capital D.

I’ve watched Cooper a few times while he is doing these acts. The kid seriously can’t help himself. It’s almost like his brain isn’t even check in while he is doing it. It’s like he is on auto pilot.

So, school is back in session. Thank God.

A few pictures to plead my insanity case. It’s non stop. I leave a room and I come back to this. Pretty soon my house is going to be empty. Sigh. Next phase please.

coopsroom3 coopsroom2 coopsroom coopsroom5 coopsroom4

 

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Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

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6 Comments

  1. Meg C. DeBoe on January 6, 2015 at 8:59 pm

    Same thing here! It’s emptying his toy box, all the pillows off the couch (so he can bounce), and unrolling toilet paper. Grrrr…



    • Avatar photo findingcoopersvoice on January 6, 2015 at 9:06 pm

      It’s exhausting!



  2. Jill on January 7, 2015 at 12:04 am

    OMG Kate Mason is the same way with pillows!! They never stay on the sofa. Also his room is never clean. The minute I put everything away it looks like the picture you posted!



  3. Ain't No Shrinking Violet on January 7, 2015 at 2:23 pm

    What do you guys do during the summer? My kid just started the special ed preschool, but it ENDS in summer and I’m in abject terror. If my son ASD son stays home without structure for three months, I’ll need a straight jacket and my house will be destroyed beyond repair. School breaks are bad enough!



    • Avatar photo findingcoopersvoice on January 7, 2015 at 9:43 pm

      Hey there. So Cooper goes to an autism program in the afternoon 5X per week that is technically outpatient services so it is year round. Thank GOD. He is starting a new school in the mornings 5X per week that is through the school district so that will end obviously when school ends for summer. Luckily my husband works from home so Coops will be with him. I can’t do the daycare route with COoper. It’s too stressful. And PS, my house is way destroyed. It’s a nightmare!



  4. Cyn on January 16, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    I hear ya….my son’s room when he was 3 and 4 was like a tornado hit it. At 7 he likes things organized on shelves:) So what did we do? I went to Wallmart and bought lots of clear bins that when I put the lid on I could break a nail trying to open up. I then went bin crazy and our house was the land of bins. What I wanted him to get into I placed in bins that were easy for him to get into. At some point he would dump and make a mess and then got into over and over dumping and putting back in himself. I confess I hated having to bin my possession up and to this day I’m trying to find some personal items that I swear I have but have forgotten where I hid (lol) but I think I saved my sanity. My Dad who lived with us until he passed away had another trick to stop my son from emptying his drawers in Grandpa’s room and tossing his clothes on the floor. He put heavy books in all of his drawers and placed his belongings over the books. The little guy would get mad that he couldn’t make a mess in Grandpa’s room and Grandpa would lead him over to a bin and say that’s yours…have fun and dump that if it makes you feel good:) Good luck 🙂