Progress Report

Once upon a time, a desparate mother tried every medium in the children's craft department in an attempt to get her son to create. The crayons were stripped and stomped on, the paints emptied onto the table and smeared on body parts, the clay hurled across the room like granades, and the paper torn into confetti. The mother quickly learned that the only thing her son was gifted at creating was carnage. The kind ladies at church didn't fare much better. Thus, when it came time to pick up the lad from some church activity, the mother would find her son to be the only child who lacked even a scribble for a craft to take home. "He refused to do the craft," the ladies would say with a shrug and a sigh. While other children dutifully created heartfelt cards and creations for Mother's Day or Valentine's, this mother was dismayed each time to find no such gift.

Those of you who have followed this story with one eye on the picture to the left are probably waiting for me to break the miraculous news that things have changed. Alas, I am sorry to report that for the most part things have not changed in regards to the son's ability to create beautiful works of childish art. However, whereas before a terrific meltdown would precede every attempt to coerce a single scribble on a pre-printed "Get Well" card for a sick grandparent, I am happy to report that this little boy willingly agrees to write his name (albeit backwards).

Something new has also transpired: representational art. At least, that's the only thing I can think of to call it. This plucky little guy has quite suddenly come up with the ability to draw a picture by following basic instruction. (see photo) The funny thing is you could ask him to draw a picture of a man and he would still tearfully refuse. Yet, you can lead him step by step through drawing different size lines and circles to create the image of a stick-figured man. In this particular case, the drawing was something he learned at school and was proud to recreate (instructor-like!) for his little brother. The concept has yet to be "generalized", as they say, and I would still classify him as "face-blind" in many cases, but it is progress. And to this mother, progress is a wonderful gift.