Last week, a co-worker and I were in (what we perceived to be) a hilarious situation. For two days, every time we saw each other, we’d recap exactly what had happened. We kept retelling the story to each other, laughing so hard that tears were streaming down our faces.
At one point, other co-workers saw us in the hall and asked, “What’s so funny?!”
Barely breathing from laughing, we tried to explain:
“And then she said —“
“And then I was like —“
“And she goes – 8×8!!!!”
Blank stares.
Smiles.
Eye rolls.
“Uh. Oooookay,” they, as they walked away collapsing in fits of giggles.
It made no sense to them, because they hadn’t been there.
It made sense to us.
It was hilarious to us.
It was so hilarious that we wanted to keep saying it over and over again, because it made us laugh, and laughter felt good.
So in an essence? We were scripting. For days. Every time we saw each other we launched into the script of what had happened.
But we’re neurotypical. And so, nobody told us to stop talking about it. Nobody told us it was weird. Nobody sat us down and explained that we had already talked about it for two days. Nobody said, “Let’s think of something else you could talk about. You both have x in common. What’s a question you could ask about x to have a conversation?”
Granted – we didn’t talk about it while we were supposed to be teaching, or in the middle of someone else’s conversation, or during various other awkward or seemingly unexpected times. And granted, we have the ability to know to talk about it with each other, and not with someone else who wasn’t there, who wouldn’t understand the humor.
It’s just – the thing is, we ALL script. We all have scripty stimmy inside jokes that we talk about and laugh about. And it feels good. It’s hilarious. It’s comforting. It’s a good feeling in the middle of a crazy, busy, or overwhelming day.
And what’s so bad about that?
Right. Nothing. NOTHING is wrong with that.
So when your kids, your students, your clients script.
Think about how you can actually relate to it.
Think about why you do it, and therefore, why they might be doing it (and of course – communication. Don’t ever discount that scripting is communication, which could be a book in and of itself).
Yes, when it’s scripting for fun: educate them on the best times and the best people to do it with. Absolutely.
But don’t, I beg of you, don’t squash it. Don’t tell them they can’t do it. Don’t tell them it, in and of itself, is unexpected, or worse, weird.
It’s just…normal. It’s not an autistic thing, it’s not a neurotypical thing, it’s just a normal human thing.
