pondering

Here's a photo of Jacob on the trails this weekend. You can read more about our adventures this weekend over at my other blog by clicking here or here.

I was reading yet another comment on my post from a few weeks ago about using sticker charts for potty training. I can't believe I'm still getting comments on that one entry. In fact, it's the entry that's generated the most comments from any of my blogging history (which is only about a year long, so I supposed not THAT long). And it got me thinking about the whole blogging and commenting thing.

I don't get a lot of comments compared to other blogs that I've peeked in on. I think that has a lot to do with what I'm writing about, and the way it's presented. I'm not here spilling my guts or asking opinions. I don't provide any thought-provoking fodder, and I don't try to open discussions on controversial topics. I'm not trying to get anyone to think deeper about issues, or probe their hearts and souls for their own inner truths. In fact, I'd be really surprised if my entries promoted more than an "oh, that's interesting" or "maybe I'll try that" type of response. Bascially I'm just writing about what we're doing about remediating Autism for our particular son -- not making suggestions about what other should do (though I'm thrilled when people tell me I've given them ideas for their own RDI programs), not stimulating discussions, not trying to be particularly entertaining. I don't think it's a place that anyone who's not specifically interested in Jacob (as in, some of our relatives) or in RDI is going to bother to read.

So what was it about that sticker chart post that made so many people respond? I'm not talking about overwhelming numbers, by the way -- you've got to understand that most of my posts get NO feedback -- I'm sure there are people reading, as I'm told all the time by other RDIing familes and consultants that they read my blog -- these folks just don't have the time to respond! They're too busy with their own remediation programs or helping other families. Heck, I totally GET that -- there's only a couple other blogs I read with any regularity, and another one or two I drop in on occassionally, and that's it -- I just don't have time for any more than that. If I read my blog (well, you know what I mean), I wouldn't leave comments either.

But, regardless, of the one (if that) responses I've gotten on my other posts, the sticker chart post generated 6 comments. That's a large number for my blog. Are people searching around for potty training or sticker chart posts specifically? Is there something particularly stirring about that post? (I'm joking -- believe me, there's not!) Or is it that potty training posts rally the troops, since so many of us parents of ASD kids are fighting the bathroom battle?

In any case, I have to say that it bugs me a little bit. Of all the things I've written about over the last year, that is one of the things I'm least proud of. Not the post itself (which reads pretty much like any other post of mine), but reverting to using a sticker chart. I think a lot of the stuff I've tried with Jacob has been highly successful and potentially helpful for other families to read. The sticker chart, tho, is something I'm somewhat ashamed of. To the point that I considered removing the post from the blog. But in the spirit of sharing both the good and the bad (I do try to keep the ugly private, however!), I decided to leave it. But of all the things I've done to work on remediating Jacob's autism, this was the least RDI-ish, and the most behaviorally modifying and manipulative thing I've tried. And the least beneficial to Autism remediation. Oh, yeah, he's using the potty more. (More than he would be without the sticker chart? Maybe.) So I've sort of achieved the goal I wanted to with it (well, it would be nicer if he made it there ALL the time, but all in due time I'm sure). But has it worked even one fraction of an iota to remediate his Autism? Absolutely not.

So I guess I just wanted to officially say that those sorts of things -- the things we do to manage our way through life -- the gimicks -- are not the things we should be taking note of. It's the subtler, more meaningful changes that should be recognized and commented on.

And that's about as deeply insightful as I get.