Mummy Told Me Not to Tell Read Online Free PDF Page B

in mine and leading him from my bedroom, ‘we’ll look at your room now and I’ll show you the television.’
    Springing along beside me, with his hand in mine, we went round the landing and into his bedroom. I heard Veronica downstairs make another trip into the hall with Reece’s belongings.
    ‘I want it on now,’ he yelled, making a lunge for the remote control, which lay on top of the television.
    I intercepted and took it. He glared at me. ‘Right, Reece,’ I said, trying to make eye contact again, ‘havinga television in your bedroom is a very special treat. You will be allowed to watch it for short periods if you are good. Being good means not biting and doing what I ask you to. Do you understand?’
    He nodded, and briefly looked in my direction.
    ‘Excellent. Now, you can sit on this beanbag, and I’ll see if there are any children’s programmes on.’ It was just after three o’clock, so I thought there would be. He did as I asked and sat on the beanbag. I turned on the portable television at the plug, and then flicked the remote until I came to a pre-school children’s cartoon.
    The change in Reece’s behaviour was instant and dramatic. He was immediately transfixed, as he had been earlier by my reading a book. His limbs stopped their frantic and continuous twitching and his breathing regulated; all his attention was on the bright cartoon images chasing across the screen. Although his calmness was welcome, it was also odd because children with true ADHD often can’t relax even in front of a television. I could see that carefully controlled television watching together with story reading were going to be useful strategies in managing Reece’s behaviour. Leaving Reece on the beanbag, completely absorbed in the programme, I went downstairs to Veronica, who had just finished offloading Reece’s belongings into the hall. She was now waiting for me.
    ‘OK?’ she asked hopefully.
    ‘Yes. He’s watching children’s cartoons and is much quieter.’ I glanced at his luggage — a large suitcase, a couple of rucksacks and two toy boxes, which wasabout what I would have expected to come with a child who had been in care for just over a month.
    ‘Well, I hope you have a good evening,’ Veronica said. Then she took a folded piece of paper from her pocket and passed it to me. ‘His previous carer asked me to give you this. It’s the food he likes.’
    I unfolded the paper and read:
‘Reece likes most things but his favourites are Chicken Dippers, fish fingers, tinned spaghetti hoops and Wall’s sausages. He is used to drinking a lot of fizzy drinks but these make him hyperactive. He has been having milk, juice and water with me.’
Very sensible, I thought, because research has shown that diet can play quite a large part in children’s behaviour, particularly if they are sensitive to additives, which many children with behavioural problems are.
    ‘Thanks,’ I said to Veronica, refolding the paper.
    ‘And I should keep him off the E numbers,’ she said with a smile.
    ‘Absolutely,’ I agreed.
    After Veronica had left I took the bags and boxes up to Reece’s room. I told him I would start unpacking his clothes and he could help me if he liked, or he could continue watching his programme. He didn’t answer or turn in my direction, but remained absorbed in the colourful cartoon, which was designed for children aged about four. I opened the suitcase and began taking out his clothes, folding and hanging them as I put them into the wardrobe and drawers. As I worked I repeatedly glanced in Reece’s direction. He remained relaxed but oblivious to my presence. His eyes followed therapidly moving cartoon figures, which were now on an adventure in a park. Occasionally he made little noises, sometimes grunting his approval at something that was happening on screen and repeating the odd word as the story unfolded. It crossed my mind that Reece seemed to relate far better to the television than he did to