Moms of kids with SN...how could I have handled this better

[Anonymous]

We just moved and since the weather is gorgeous here, we were at the park earlier trying to meet some new people. 3 year old DS found another little kid and asked to play with him and the little boy nodded and they had some fun. His mom and I were near them and talking and her little guy kind of started doing the happy shriek to DS who started laughing (he finds shrieking and yelling funny for some odd reason and will go into fits of laughter) Mom explained that her son had a SN and had difficulty talking and expressing himself, hence the shrieks. I kind of just said "oh ok" because I didn't know what else to do and was worried I'd offend her with anything more. And then I had mouth diarrhea and said "Oh, I'm sorry, I hope you didn't think DS was laughing at your kid or making fun of him. He just finds shrieking funny, I don't know why." Ugh, so first I probably look like an asshole of not saying anything more when she told me her kid had a SN. And then I looked like even more of an asshole for implying that my son finds her kids' SN funny. I really liked this mom and DS and her kid played really well together.

Am I over thinking this? If I see her at the park tomorrow, should I say something? Pretend I wasn't a social idiot?

[Anonymous]

I have an SN child and she finds shrieking hilarious. I don't find fault with anything you said. You are overthinking. SN moms are not made of glass.

I am very happy to hear that you made friends with this mom and her child. It sounds like a genuine friendship. Hooray!

[Anonymous]

sounds fine to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an SN child and she finds shrieking hilarious. I don't find fault with anything you said. You are overthinking. SN moms are not made of glass.

I am very happy to hear that you made friends with this mom and her child. It sounds like a genuine friendship. Hooray!

Yeah, you're overthinking. Glad you made a new friend. That's always nice.

[Anonymous]

OP, totally overthinking this Relax

My SN kid thinks crashing into someone is hilarious.

[Anonymous]

thanks all. I'm a very shy person who constantly over analyzes my interactions with others. Glad to know I'm over thinking this one!!

[Anonymous]

No worries. Glad they could play together. Now if you grabbed your kid and ran away after hearing the child has SN, then I would have an issue!

[Anonymous]

Even as a mom with an SN kid, I blurt out the wrong thing sometimes, but I don't think you did in this case. You don't need to say anything if you see her again. It's nice your kids had fun and refreshing that you're open minded.

(Plus if this kid shrieks, this mom has probably had to endure her share of some pretty icy stares and rude comments over the years. I highly doubt what you said even made a ripple.)

[Anonymous]

I would far prefer you handle it as you did rather than give me a lecture on how your friend of a friend has a kid with delays and blah blah blah...and ask all kinds of questions about the therapy, etc (fine with being asked about therapy, etc. if you are looking for your own kid). I think you did great. Its hard with a delayed child, especially so you being friends and giving the child socialization is a wonderful thing.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks all. Next time we see them (hopefully tomorrow!) I won't be worried that I said something offensive. I'll follow the mom's lead and go from there. It's adorable to watch them together. I swear young kids have a way of communicating that doesn't involve real worlds.

[Anonymous]

It's fine. You handled it perfectly actually.

[Anonymous]

If your kid was happily playing with my SN kid, I wouldn't care much what you said about anything. I would just be so grateful that my kid had someone to play with that anything you said would just roll right off my back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid was happily playing with my SN kid, I wouldn't care much what you said about anything. I would just be so grateful that my kid had someone to play with that anything you said would just roll right off my back.

This

[Anonymous]

OP here. I saw her briefly on Sunday but DS had a temper tantrum so we left the park early but not before we got her number. We ended up going to the park yesterday followed by some grocery shopping with our kids in tow. Plan to go to her house on Saturday for a BBQ with DH and DS. I can't even begin to tell you all how excited I am. We've been here for about 2 months, and the isolation and loneliness was getting pretty bad.