Hi Terry,
Oh my. It's good to know that really embarrassing things like that happen even with kids who aren't on the spectrum.
I like your spin on Todd's thought process, but I fear you are probably giving him too much credit for having such a well-developed theory of mind and so much empathy.
Take my son, for example, who is, after all, the model for Todd in this story. If I just display appropriate levels of anger at one of his misdeeds, he will often simply laugh and have a twinkle in his eye. He seems to think my raised voice and scowls are a game; he doesn't appear to realize I am angry -- instead, he only seems to think that Mom is making funny sounds and even funnier faces. To say that that is both aggravating and heart-breaking for me is a huge understatement.
So, Terry, were I a gambling person and were we to have a way to determine who was right, I would take you up on that wager.
Thanks for commenting on the story.
Joy,
Lynn
