Parenting: A New Challenge
We put in a lot of effort to help my autistic son become more independent with his daily routines. When he finally started toilet training, we felt like we had overcome a massive obstacle. He was thrilled, we were overjoyed, and let’s just say my laundry appliances were giving a little cheer of relief. Victory was ours!
But oh, how naive we were. There was one significant issue we hadn’t considered. After consulting with his teachers, therapists, and other parents, we realized that the problem wasn’t going away. Since my grand plan to live forever wasn’t going to work out, it was time to confront… The Hand Dryer of Doom (cue suspenseful music).
In an effort to be eco-friendly, science introduced hand dryers to public restrooms. However, they come equipped with motors that sound like the most terrifying monster movie screams you can imagine. Telling my son, “Just wipe your hands on your pants,” did not help either. After hearing someone else use one, he became absolutely petrified at the mere sight of these machines. With him getting older and starting to venture into the men’s room by himself (while I stood just outside, loudly reassuring everyone, “Mom’s right here! Call if you need me, guys!”), we needed a solution.
What ended up working? A hair dryer. Yes, you read that right! His former teacher, Ms. Carter, is a genius. She began using a hair dryer to help the kids dry their hands after washing up at school. While he’s not exactly a fan, she managed to teach him to tolerate it, which was a huge win for us. When she sent me a picture from a class trip to the mall featuring him using the hair dryer, I couldn’t help but ugly cry out of happiness.
Miracles can indeed happen, even in the restroom.
But just when we thought we had things under control, we encountered a new beast: the Exelrator hand dryer. If you’ve seen one, you know how loud it is! When I spotted it in the theater bathroom, I noticed that none of the other women were using it. They all opted for paper towels, and honestly, who could blame them? This thing looked like it belonged in a sci-fi horror film rather than a public restroom.
I just got my son comfortable using the regular hand dryer, and now I have to introduce him to this monstrosity? No way. I’m going full-on “too overwhelmed to deal” mode and will let him walk out of there with wet hands. Sure, it might make his fries a bit soggy, but he’ll manage.
There are limits to what we’ll put up with, even for the sake of our planet. Some challenges just can’t be solved with a side of fries, and this new hand dryer is one of them. Honestly, I’d tell it to “blow me,” but I’m way too scared to get close.
This article was originally published on Aug. 28, 2016.
If you’re interested in further exploration of topics like this, you might find our other blog posts insightful, including our privacy policy found here. For more information on home insemination, check out BabyMaker, an authority on the topic. Additionally, for a great resource on fertility, visit Science Daily.
Summary: This light-hearted article chronicles the challenges of a mother teaching her autistic son to navigate everyday experiences, particularly the daunting hand dryer in public restrooms. Through patience and creativity, they find solutions that work for them, highlighting the ups and downs of parenting.