Very cool!

16 Responses to Very cool!

1. Wombat says:

   February 18, 2015 at 21:00

   My next project is going to be to build one of these from young wattle trees. The local ones grow as straight as poles and as fast as weeds until they get old enough to buckle under their own weight.

   With some heavy duty fencing wire the whole thing should stand up to a fair bit of abuse.
   • Oswald Bastable says:

     February 18, 2015 at 21:37

     I built on out of old pallets and a couple of leftover fence posts. Kids loved it!
     • KG says:

       February 18, 2015 at 21:40

       No need for expensive toys, is there? My 18-month old used to be perfectly happy ratting around in the pot cupboard and playing with his dog in a pile of cardboard cartons.
       • john says:

         February 18, 2015 at 23:14

         Kids love cardboard cartons, they’re just so versatile. I remember my first car was a cardboard carton.
         • KG says:

           February 19, 2015 at 01:21

           
2. mawm says:

   February 18, 2015 at 21:11

   Autism is a very sad condition – it adds stress to the family looking after him and consumes time and resources spent on him instead of the other kids – and in the end nothing one does helps. You have a child that does not interact with others.

   There are claims that the frequency of autism is increasing, but this is really not backed up by anything. It is just that the diagnostic spectrum has widened.

   I have a friend who has an autistic kid who become so violent after pubity that he is now in an institution, and our neighbours have an autistic kid who wanders around the garden on his own while chanting mantra, etc. I have never seen any interaction between him and his siblings or parents. Really sad!
   • KG says:

     February 18, 2015 at 21:20

     But there is a spectrum of autism, isn’t there Mawm? From slight to severe?
     Or do I have it wrong?
     • Oswald Bastable says:

       February 18, 2015 at 21:32

       You have it right. Some are ‘ just a bit odd’ ( high functioning) to the other end of the scale, where they are non verbal double incontinent and need 24 hour care. Just to make things interesting, epilepsy is very common with autism.

       My 14 year old functions at about the level of an 18 month old.

       At least he is a happy kid. Loves rides in the car, anything to do with trains, picture books and his dvd collection.
       • KG says:

         February 18, 2015 at 21:35

         “Loves rides in the car, anything to do with trains, picture books and his dvd collection.”
         Sounds like his dad.
       • mawm says:

         February 18, 2015 at 21:54

         Some are mathamatical geniuses who can’t socialise well, some are shut out from the world. As I said there is a spectrum and this has widened with broadening diagnostic criteria.

         Anybody caring for a child who is not normal has my respect.
         • Wombat says:

           February 19, 2015 at 00:30

           Amen to that.
3. Oswald Bastable says:

   February 18, 2015 at 21:19

   Thanks, but we just do what needs doing,
   • KG says:

     February 18, 2015 at 21:25

     Aye, my friend, so you do. But while you have the right to downplay it, many of us are deeply impressed by the time and effort and love that parents of autistic children expend and it’s important to make that known occasionally.
     • Oswald Bastable says:

       February 18, 2015 at 21:28

       And I do appreciate it. More than you can know.
4. Oswald Bastable says:

   February 19, 2015 at 20:00

   The hard part is getting up and doing it every day.

   The worst part is knowing that one day you won’t be able or there to. ..
   • KG says:

     February 19, 2015 at 20:08

     And those things are what makes it so admirable.
     Almost anybody can put in a short burst of effort, but it takes character and guts to be there for the long haul.