An interesting discovery happened the other day while doing an assignment with Daniel for school. He watched several videos about his workspace and then, was to draw a picture of his workspace. He was supposed to make a drawing of his desk, and books, and paper, etc… However, when he came running to me to show me what he had completed he had this:

I asked him what his drawing meant. 

He told me that I should know what his workstation looked like because he was thinking about it. I was a little puzzled. He then asked, “Don’t you see this above my head?” After a few minutes of back and forth questioning, I suddenly realized that Daniel was under the impression that others could see whatever he thought. He believed that after watching the video, which had illustrations of people thinking, and them using the “cartoon thought bubbles” to show what people were thinking, that all people could see his thoughts.

I discovered further that he was under this impression before he saw the images as well. 

However, I was unaware that he thought this. It is a form of him believing that people can read or “see” his thoughts. It is a hard thing to explain to him. I too have difficulty with this particular thing. I tend to forget that people cannot see into my brain. However, it certainly feels as if they do at times. When I explained that we could not see his thoughts, he said, “I really wish you could.”

Today I decided to look for bubble thought images to print out. 

After I printed them, I showed them to Daniel, this was our conversation:

Me: Do you think you could draw what you are thinking?

Daniel: I have to color what I am thinking?

Me: Yes, we cannot see what you are thinking.

Daniel: Why not?

Me: Daniel do you think that a bubble thing pops up above your head when you are thinking about something?

Daniel: Yes.

Me: Buddy, we cannot see what you are thinking. You need to tell us with your words, but if you cannot get your words out do you think that you could draw it for us? If you would like you could draw it on these bubble thoughts I have printed out.

Daniel: I am thinking about recording something on my recorder.

Me: You do not need to draw that. We can work on this.

Daniel: Ok.

We will work on what I meant by drawing what he is thinking, I was not specific enough.  

This was a great insight into what he is thinking though. It could explain much of his frustrations with others and me. It was kind of a shock for him when I explained to him that we could not see his thoughts. He did not believe me at first, and then he grew tired of talking about it. I assumed he understood until just a little while ago when I asked him about it again. He still believed that we could see his thoughts. I do understand this and struggle myself as I mentioned earlier.

It feels like people can see my thoughts at times and I feel as if they do things on purpose. 

It is hard for me to put into words, but I can error in thinking that people already know something because I thought it. I can also think that I already spoke it out when in actuality I only thought it. Thinking it feels the same as saying to me. People’s response or lack of response can confuse me when I feel as if they should already know or that I have already expressed what I am thinking. I have gotten a lot better with this, but I find it difficult to remember with people who are close to me.

I had not connected it to Daniel.

I really had not thought of that for myself either. It was only when I had the visual and Daniel’s words together that I started to realize this. I think this can clear up many of his frustrations and help with our communication with him and to him. I never would have thought he felt as if we could “see” his thoughts. This is a huge positive and I am so glad it was revealed.

Here is the blank bubble thought I am using.

I think I may carry these around in my purse for me!  

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