Her son got in trouble for the 'F-word' at school — and she couldn’t be prouder

Parents dread receiving complaints about their children from school. While it can significantly impact their behavior and personality, it also creates a chaotic situation for parents to deal with. However, one mom, who goes by u/big-ol-kitties on Reddit, learned that her 8-year-old nonverbal son got written up for saying a bad word; she wasn’t just mad about it. While she understood that his language was not appropriate, she was also relieved and glad for a sweet reason. Sharing the write-up on December 17, with the help of his teacher, the boy had written and filled out what his errors were, why he made them, and how he would amend them, and it helped ease the situation. 

The mom mentioned that her son is on the spectrum. “His language has been improving but he is still technically considered nonverbal as he can’t really communicate or hold a conversation,” she added. Somehow, while playing with his friend, he said the word “f**k” out loud three times. It was made clear that the 8-year-old didn’t mean it aggressively or negatively, but just blurted it out while playing. When his teacher spoke to him about his behavior, he admitted it. The boy was then given a write-up and asked to fill it out. The first thing he had to write was what he had done. 

“I said a bad word, F-word, to a classmate three times today,” the sheet read. He was then asked to circle what he didn’t follow due to his behavior. The little guy circled all four options — “Respectful,” “Organized,” “Ready to learn,” “Responsible.” It was clear that he knew he had made a mistake and that it had an impact. Furthermore, when asked to circle why he indulged in such behavior, he honestly chose “to get someone’s attention.” With sincerity, he filled out the rest of the sheet, confessing that his behavior distracted others and that he would amend his mistake by apologizing and not repeating the word.

The mom added that the teacher “told him it was not a nice word, asked him to apologize, and to not say it anymore.” Even though he was nonverbal, he was able to understand what his actions and words caused and was able to have the will to rectify the mistake. Furthermore, when his teacher was talking to him about his actions, he even started crying. It meant he was able to express his regret and sadness and understand the situation. “Not ideal, but it does show some unconventional progress in his language skills! Even his reaction to getting in trouble shows he’s understanding more and more every day,” the mom revealed.

And that is what made her happy. Not the fact that he was abusing, but that he was able to understand, rectify, express, and work on himself simply after being communicated to. That’s a massive win! In a comment, the mom noted, “His teacher wasn’t even mad, just as impressed as us and mildly amused.” According to Autism Speaks, nonverbal children can grasp and develop communication skills at a later age. In a study shared by Autism Research Institute, Dennis Thompson, of Medical Xpress, added, “Kids with nonverbal autism may still understand much spoken language.”

The study revealed that 25 percent of children with autism and nonverbal communication showed better receptive and expressive skills. People were quick to point out the good and make this a success story. u/cynicalanguinist said, “It is really sweet that he is building friendships enough to the point where he is getting more comfortable with communicating.” u/altrebelle noted, “He had a win today! Appropriate or not... he verbalized with his peers!” 

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