Dear Neighbors: Don't be afraid of the Naked Kid!

Dear Neighbors: Don't be afraid of the Naked Kid! He is friendly.  He has come to your home in search of a pool, computers and videos! 

Nicholas woke up around 5ish, I got him to sleep a few more minutes – which is not easy – he has very little impulse control and get’s into his loop of “I want Video’s”, “I want computer” and he can’t think of anything else so he repeats this over and over. So at 6:30 I go downstairs with him and lay on the couch while he watches TV. I fell asleep and suddenly I hear someone pounding on the doors - “Donna Donna – Nicky is at my house and he’s naked, he’s at my house and he’s naked!!! “ the voice is panicked. 

I jump up go out the door in my jammies - walk down the driveway to my neighbors in a bit of a horrified trance - to collect my kid and come home. 

There he was naked, holding his blanket, screaming about going swimming and toys. Nicky has never just up and walked out the front door!  What was funny was that I didn’t say much, didn’t feel much, just got my kid and went home. Once I was home I felt scared and I locked the doors and turned on our house alarm. 

I think I will need to write a letter to all my neighbors – “be on the lookout for naked black child” only kidding! But, I should tell them something.  My poor neighbor was scared to death and his children were running from Nicky.  Me, I’m used to it, but I can see how upsetting it could be for someone who has never been around Nicky or kids with autism. I really should warn them!