Odd, the places in which you have some of the most interesting conversations. Bright Eyes was sitting on the toilet tonight while we had the following exchange.
Him: "Mum, I was at the 'I don't want to' step today."
Me: (thinking of a little picture we have on the kitchen wall) "What didn't you want to do?"
Him: "I was at the 'I don't want to' with fitting in."
Me: "Oh. I see. Fitting in. What were you fitting in to?"
Him: "The group. I don't like working in groups."
Me: "Which group was it?"
Him: "It's not my friends. I fit in with my friends. I fit in with Ewan. It's just the reading group."
Me: "Oh, you mean your reading groups in class?"
Him: "Yes. I just cant fit in. Even though I'm obsessed with it."
Me: "You're obsessed?"
Him: "Yes. What does obsessed mean?"
Me: "Can't stop thinking about it." (We then traverse off to a small aside about obsession with Batman)
Me: "What were you supposed to be doing in the group?"
Him: "The School Magazine activity, page 30. But they wouldn't let me read the comics part."
Me: "Who wouldn't? Were you supposed to be reading it in the group?"
Him: (down at mouth) "No. But I wanted to and they wouldn't let me. I just want to have fun."
Me: "Oh. That's hard."
Him: "Yeah, everyone wants to tell me what to do all the time."
Me: "Oh. Do they?"
Him: "I spend a lot of time on my own."
Me: "Do you mind? Are you sad about it?"
Him: "No. I like it on my own. I get to mind my own business."
Me: "Oh, okay."
Him: "But I wish I could fit in. It's really hard to fit in."
Me: "It is hard, especially for some people. You need to learn some skills to do it. I can help you though if you want to."
Him: "Nah, I'd rather do it on my own."