Dale and Girls

He looks too much like his Dad.

Dale will turn 14 this December.  We've had problems with regards to his sexuality as early as he was 9.  He would like watching love scenes in movies and tv shows.  He showed early malice.  However, when he turned 11, he understood how inappropriate some things are and he just stopped wanting to look at anything sensual, and with that came the embarrassment of kissing and hugging Mommy.

Dale is actually turning away from me during this shot.

He now does not want to hold my hand. He twists his hand away. :))  He explained that I am his Mom, and not his girlfriend.  I sometimes pout and say that maybe he doesn't love me anymore or he's embarrassed to be seen with me, so he just pats my back (the closest thing to a hug) and tells me that of course he loves me.

Happy day with Dale

He is growing up so fast.  He now towers over me.  Girls look at him differently now.  He claims that they are like "fangirls," because they call his name and pinch his cheek all the time.  "Cute," is the word they use to describe him.  I actually saw a girl give him a flying kiss last week on his way to school. @.@

His counselor said that Dale does not want to sit beside girls.  When I ask him this, he said, "You know about me and girls, Mom.  I don't want to get teased by my classmates."  

I asked him when he'll have a girlfriend, he said confidently "After college."


Before, I worry about his future, like would he be able to love?  To have a girlfriend?  To marry and have children?


When asked about the future, he said, "Mom what is the highest paying job?"  He said that he needs to have a high-paying job so he can buy a house where he could live with his wife.  He also claims that he will marry at age 26.  He computed the years when he will finish college, have a job, and save for a house.  He is really something!  

I can imagine how his kids would look like.  :)) Now, I rarely worry.  I am positive that he will accomplish his goals, and more.


p.s. 
It's actually the girls I'm worried about.  They are so liberated nowadays! PBBTeens!

Music, Dale, and Autism

There has been numerous researches and articles about the use of music therapy in autism.  I have no doubt that it can help.  Even with us folks, we have nothing special, but we feel different when we hear music.  It calms us.  It engages us.  It makes us feel alive.

Dale showed early signs of his interest in music when he started humming when he was younger.  He tinkered with the piano and can play simple tunes by ear.  Although he seldom sings, he can carry a tune.  My iPhone, which he borrows from time to time, now has his own folder.  His choice of apps are music and art related, as you can see from the picture on the side.

When I checked out the Glee application, I heard a song he said was his own composition.  It went a little like this:

"I'm roaming around, there's nothing I can do.
I'm roaming around, what should I do?"

It was funny!  I asked him why he did it, he said because I told him to stop roaming around.  :)

He also sang a song from one of his (and mine, as well) favorite bands, Viva la Vida by Coldplay.  It was nice because Dale speaks too fast most of the time, but in the song, I can understand him better.

On the violin:

I really wanted even one of my sons to learn the violin.  My first choice was to have Anton learn it.  However, he didn't want to study alone.  With budget restrictions, I told him they can't all study together.  We'd have to buy three violins!  So, Anton just went back to the choir.

Note:  Anton and Dale need church involvement.  Anton is in the choir, and Dale should've been in the rondalla, but he wanted to study violin instead.

Dale saw one girl from the rondalla playing the violin (?).  We asked and Don Bosco Makati has a program for people to learn music like guitar, violin, and piano for a small fee.


Note:  2,500 for the program!  Others cost 6,500.  When I asked his teacher about it, he said, it is part of his service to the Church.  :)

So, we bought a violin (1,600 from Raon), and a Suzuki 1 book (550 from Euphony).  His first official lesson started last Sunday.  Teacher Wes told me he did great!  He was able to finish more pages than most of the kids.  He was given homework when they were done.  It was a simple song that he has to practice.

I told him he needs to practice 30 minutes a day.  Yesterday, I didn't need to tell him to practice, he just went to my room and played the song for me.  He memorized it already! He didn't need to look at his book.

When his Dad asked me why we should enroll Dale to violin lessons, I told him, why shouldn't we?  As long as Dale shows interest in it, he will continue with his lessons.  We must do everything we could to make him better.

I love Dale the way he is.  With this quirks and weird gestures.  But, if there is a way to minimize them, I will try it, as I know that it sometimes "hurt" him.

One time, we were inside the church, he had a small tantrum wherein he shook his head more than usual, grimaced and told me "Mommy, I can't make it stop."

Now, how can I stop wanting to make him feel better?