I Fake Called Cameron and it Worked

Cameron 18 yrs old and Me (Quite a bit older than him)

The other day Cameron was being rather difficult about getting ready to go out with his carer. He'd resorted to sitting on a chair in his bedroom and was refusing to move or get dressed. It didn't matter how I pleaded or demanded, Cameron just wasn't moving.

What was I going to do, time was ticking away and I needed him ready when his carer arrived. Then I remembered a trick which has worked rather successfully on his sister a few times in the past.

I fake called his carer.

"Cam, do you want to go out today with .......?"

Head shake no.

"Are you sure?"

Head shake no with a look on his face that said - try and move me.

"Alright then I will ring her and tell her that you aren't going today."

Cam just sat there and stared me out.

I left and returned with my phone pretending to look up a contact and dial it.

"Hello ....... this is Jane, Cameron's Mum. Hi. Cameron doesn't want to go out today with you. He won't get dressed because he doesn't want to go"

Listening to silent phone while Cameron watches me.

"You're ten minutes away? Okay, well I'll tell him. See you soon."

Close phone.

"....... says she is almost here and you better hurry up because she needs you dressed when she gets here and you're to stop being silly."

Turn around and walk out of room to put phone away.

Walk back into room to find Cameron walking towards his clothes whilst taking off his top with a rather worried look on his face.

I was grinning on the inside whilst being very matter of fact about getting Cameron ready because he only had ten minutes.

I could not believe that the fake phone call had worked. Cameron totally understood the scenario I had played out for him and had taken it very seriously.

I have to admit I am very lucky that Cameron couldn't walk out and ask his carer about the phone call and therefore couldn't catch me out in my little white lie. I was lucky.

Then this morning I had another little struggle with Cameron again whilst getting ready for his carer but this time over brushing his teeth. He was standing at the front door waiting for his carer and wearing a huge grin whilst refusing to go to the bathroom.

"Cameron do you want me to call ...... because I will and I will tell her that you can't go with her today because you won't brush your teeth."

Suddenly a look of concern crossed his face and he begrudgingly walked slowly towards the bathroom. I wont lie and say the teeth brushing experience was wonderful because it wasn't. It was the usual tussle and argument which I am sick of but at least I did my best to get his teeth clean and he did as I asked so I see that as a Win Win.

Even though this seems like a little story about getting dressed and brushing teeth it is much more important than that. Cameron understood a very abstract concept and reacted accordingly and I think that is amazing and a reason to be very, very happy.