Fart, fart, fart

Lovely lady, 11, participates in a weekly social group for girls with autism. The girls have become great friends, and love to giggle and joke together. A great deal of that giggling and joking lately has begun to revolve around mildly taboo words. The group leader has mentioned that she's been trying to redirect the behavior to more appropriate topics of conversation but it's been tough going.

So picture this: Two other moms and I, sitting on the couch outside the meeting room, chatting about an upcoming play involving the girls. Gales of laughter from the girls, laughing so hard that they can barely speak. We stop to listen because, naturally, we love to hear our daughters laughing. Then we begin to make out what they're saying.

"Snot. Snot snot snot snot snot."

"Fart! Fart fart fart faaaaaaaaaaart! FART!"

"Bottom!"

"Boogerboogerboogerboogerbooger!"

"Men-strooo-aaa-shun!"

"Boobs, boobs, boobs!"

You get the idea.

At first we're mildly amused. And a little taken aback, looking at one another with raised eyebrows, half laughing. Hoping, I think, that the other mothers aren't shocked by what our own child is saying. At least I was. (Mine chimed in with "fart" and "boobs," in case you're wondering.) Has the facilitator completely lost control?

Then....

beep beep beep goes a timer.

Facilitator: "Ok girls. Now that you've got that out of your system, I don't want to hear those words for the rest of group time. Agreed?"

And she didn't.