I'm actually wondering if the onset of the full moon tomorrow (March 8th) is the catalyst for the sudden increase in tic activity. It will be interesting to observe whether or not this activity decreases after the moon begins to wane.
I mentioned in a previous post Eli has been presenting more baby-talking. His teacher reports that he's being very loud and can't seem to speak in a quiet voice. Many of his "tics" are auditory -- yelling out words, sometimes once, sometimes over and over; making repetitive noises; latching on to a word or sound that feels good him and he won't be able to leave it alone, but is driven to repeat it for days.
Other tics are more "physical", such as the non-stop blinking, sniffing air through his nose over and over, rubbing his hands on his legs to feel the textures of the material in his pants. Denim is a favorite texture for him to explore, and a new pair of jeans brings great joy because of all the stuff to feel!
You can imagine how strange it would seem to the someone to observe another person presenting these behaviors in public if they were not aware of the person's circumstances. Imagine yourself encountering a stranger who is displaying some of these behaviors. Whether it's an adult or a child, your first instinct may be to feel uncomfortable and awkward... you might think, "What's she doing??" or "Whoa, he's really weird!" Perhaps you have already had an experience like this in your lifetime!
Now think of Eli. Now that you have met him and are gaining a basic understanding of this phenomenal, complicated kid of ours, and you appreciate the challenges he faces in all aspects of his life on a daily basis.... I want you to think of him the next time you encounter someone you would have once thought of as weird.
My goal is to promote compassion, tolerance, understanding and awareness here. See that weird person in a new light. Recognize that this person deals with daily challenges you blessedly may never know anything about. See the person as someone's child, or a brother, sister....someone's friend. Know the person probably has a family and a support group who loves and accepts him just the way he is, and then YOU try to do the same for that person as you would now do for Eli. Smile, do your best to look them in the eye, even if it's awkward, and really see the person beyond his tic, or any other unusual behavior he may be presenting.
Open your heart to those who don't necessarily fit within the social "norms" of society. Wonder about their stories and offer them kindness. That's really the best gift you can give them.
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