OOCH is a performer like I have never seen before. Sam.loves.him.
When I say Sammy loves him, I mean it in the way that most people love chocolate or potato chips or chocolate covered potato chips (*drool*). Can you live without those items...yes , but who wants to?? Life is just more all around fun with them in it. Sam has decided that Ooch is his very best friend and has been the only topic of conversation since seeing him this past Saturday at the Wood School BBQ.
I can't really blame him though. Ooch is pretty nifty. He has hoola-hoops and yo-yo tricks and plays great music and he dances. This guy has charisma coming out his ears! He does stuff with a yo-yo that just amaze Sammy. There are some studies that show kids on the spectrum benefit from yo yo play. I don't know if it's the spinning motion or what, but really who cares. If it makes my boy happy how on Earth can I complain.
Here is an Ooch video for you. check out his skills!
Here is an Ooch video for you. check out his skills!
So often it's hard for Sam to enjoy things out of the house. I don't usually take him to a lot of the school events since it's loud and chaotic. We almost didn't go to the BBQ but last minute figured we would chance it. It was a rocky start and an even rockier finish - but what happened in the middle made it all worth it.
We found ourselves on the playground in the rain after a near miss meltdown early into lunch. Sammy couldn't take the noise and the smell and the people and so we went outside to run. Run he did , around and around and around. He did finally calm enough to go back in and finish eating. Then Ooch came on.
At first Sammy stood in the back corner of the room just watching the freeze dance game that Ooch played with everyone. I asked Thing3 to dance with me and he did. Before I knew it he was off in the crowd dancing all on his own. At one point though I did have to stop him from hugging some kids that he didn't really know. He watched everything Ooch did with intense focus, but the real magic happened after. Sam went over and talked to Ooch. Yes Really. He went over and engaged with him. Not just the everyday "I like your dog" or "I am a secret super hero" conversation started but actually went over and talked.
Now I am sure Ooch had no idea what a big deal this was, but I did. Ooch's manager/publicist/agent came over to tell me about it. Denise is total awesomeness as well and she gave me a bunch of info that is so going to help Thing3.
So often we forget about the daily impact on these kids by the things around them. Ooch knows he can make an impact, and does. His personality and attitude are amazing. Not once did he ever seem bothered or bugged by the kids. Not even when the show was over and a few kids (read Sammy and Nate) took out the hoola-hoops again. Sammy had 2 of them and rather than take them away Ooch stood by Sammy. He told Sam "Show me what you got" and Sam spun the hoops around and even kept them up for a little bit. Ooch applauded and complimented Sammy. Sam was GLOWING and talked about it all the way home. Since Saturday he has mentioned it 5 bazillion times! "Hey mom, remember when Ooch let me do the hoola-hoops and I kept them going? He's my best friend."
I know this is Ooch's job and he is nice to all the kids. He may be this way with every kid, but every kid is not my Sammy. To see the smile on my boy's face, to see him really happy... made the entire weekend drama worth it.
So Thank You OOCH for being so awesome. You really made Sam's Day
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| Ooch with Grace,Sam and Nate |