My son summed it all up today! 

After a Friday night family game evening, the kids were all wound up and silly (what's new?).  When the time comes to put 'jammies' on, the typical response is, "Awww, not yet!"  For us, this is a huge step up from the possible rages we would get from my son before our diet change.  He still has difficulty in transitions, but nothing like it used to be, where a simple instruction to stop one thing (even with a time warning or two) would send him over the edge in frustration and anger.  But, I am getting away from my point!...

So, after the initial plea for more play time, the kids all went into the bedroom to get their pajamas on and get ready for bed.  A simple task, it seems, but of course they spent the next fifteen minutes goofing off and came out half dressed and pretend fighting with a missing piece of clothing!  When I asked what they were doing, they looked confused as if there was no question about what should be happening. 

I asked if they finished getting dressed, putting their clothes away, and brushing teeth (even though I knew the answer!) and my son looked up at me with the sudden realisation of what I was talking about.  "Oooops!  Oh yeah, we were supposed to be doing that.  I must have been accidentally playing!!"

All I could do was laugh.  (After all, it is a much better reaction than frustration, right?!)  Then I realized, this is his theme!  He had a great week at school, but I learned today (from the regular talk I have with his teacher after school) that instead of completing all of his school work, he had another difficult time staying on task. 

I guess making a catapult out of his pen and ruler, with the eraser as his launch missile, was a much better use of his time!  She caught his fantasy world activity just in time to prevent him from actually launching anything and get back on task, thankfully, but in times like these, he just doesn't get it that he wasn't concentrating.  There is that, "Oh, yeah, that's what I'm supposed to be doing!" surprised reaction again!

This afternoon, the big kids were having a quiet reading time while I put the baby down for her nap.  When I came back to check on them, Erik was upside down in the chair, yes, technically doing what I asked because he was still reading!  He is found upside down very often!  (That is why his hair was so crazy in the other picture!  The book was tossed aside by the time I got the camera out.)  Accidentally playing, or just needing that sensory input?  :)

I wish we could spend more time playing and less time "doing" - that way we wouldn't have to play accidentally!  We try to make any task fun, but the fact is, there are times when we just have to "do" things in life.  Staying on task is a hard lesson to learn, even if it means something simple like stopping the continual chatter so he can actually finish a meal!

So, we say yes as much as we can, we try to help him change behaviors without continual, no, no, no's, and we try to laugh and see the fun side of things.  Yes, we try.  Sometimes we struggle and sometimes we don't.

And my goal is to spend more time accidentally playing!