Learning Something New

Ah yes, my SmallBoy loves to learn, particularly when it involes learning something he likes, something in which he is truly interested, something that is done by someone he admires. School - no, not so much. I mean, he likes it, and he learns well, but he would prefer that things went his way and that he could learn the subjects he prefers as opposed to the ones that aren't favorites.

SmallBoy likes to learn new games, even new routines after a while. He likes to learn new things about stuff he likes. He doesn't like to learn things he's being made to learn if he's not ready. He doesn't like learning a new routine initially. He doesn't like learning a new way of doing things. He doesn't like learning new situations. HE LOVES playing guitar. He loves that he has someone who can teach him. In the picture, the OTHER three guitars belong to PC.

It has been said, by some, more, acutally, by most, that some people on the spectrum develop fantastic math and music skills. SmallBoy is most definitely in that category. He has shown interest in playing an instrument for years. I never thought that he was quite ready for the discipline that goes along with the learning process or that he was ready to understand that he couldn't just pick up the instrument and play like a virtuoso. He watched his brother play the cello (which he later abandoned for the bass guitar - but not without gaining some much need knowledge of stringed instruments), and his sister play the piano and the viola, which she plays in the orchestra at school and, most likely will continue to play in high school (scholarship maybe?). He has been asking to play. We started with piano lessons taught by me. I can't play but to plink out a melody and to learn my line in the music I sing at church. I CAN read a treble cleff and I know where fingers go on the keyboard. Unlike the computer keyboard, I can't make my right and left hands work in sync. He is learning the most basic of the basics from me. I will leave the guitar to PC. SmallBoy ADORES PC.


Together they have sat and PC has taught him two chords. He taught me three, but since I haven't been keeping my nails short, I haven't been practicing and, well, frankly, have forgotten. This is such a wonderful thing for my two guys. SmallBoy's Asperger's is delightfully giving him the discipline to practice and to stay on target. He's well ahead of where I am. It is also giving the guys yet another opportunity to cement the bond that they are forming. Hop over to his blog and read his little blurb about his guitar lessons...again, bragging about PC. I think it's so great that he's got a father figure in his life who "gets it". Who works with him. Who understands his quirks and idiosyncracies and works WiTH them instead of against them. These guys of mine are awesome.