Tactile Defensiveness

Well what do we think about this concept? In a nutshell! It’s a right pain in the bottom, or more accurately, in the finger tips, especially the preferred hand’s index finger, the imaginary balloon that encompasses his head, from the shoulders up, and particularly the mouth, both exterior and interior. That is quite a high percentage of body to avoid.




I mean, if you have to be a wimp, why can’t your sensitive spots be located somewhere more convenient? How about in-between the shoulder blades? Not much traffic there. That would be ideal, especially if you are male and won’t have to fiddle with bra closures later in life.
Who could have arranged this design fault?
Who can I complain to?
Where do I send the relocation request?






There again, it’s not just the sensitivities themselves, more his reaction to them, or rather the over-reaction. I’d be happy enough to deal with reasonably articulate objections; “mother dearest, I’d just like to mention that this new T-shirt has several flaws that I’d like to draw your attention to, in the hope that you will be willing to assist me in minimizing, not to say eliminating, their annoyingness.” I would also readily accept the American version of the same request, since we are a bilingual family: “Hey mom, ken yer fix this T-shirt? It’s really buggin me!” Though why insects feature quite so prominently in American conversations, is quite beyond me. But I could deal with that. No problem, only too happy to help. But no. Instead of a logical treatise, we have a fit of the screaming ab dabs.
[translation = …….I await your input?]


Part of the problem is the misleading label. The ‘tactile’ bit, might suggest that you are defensive about things that you touch. This is true. To ‘defend’ yourself, you simply do not touch things, any things, ever. However, there is the flip side – things touch you. You can defend yourself from things that want to come and touch you, by explaining that you would prefer not to be touched. When the non-verbal become less so, and begin to be more proactive, you can see this clearly demonstrated, when he takes the stance of a question mark and screams expletives at the wind that is ruffling his hair. Difficult to explain to the casual onlooker, but we’re used to that in any case. Perhaps he should be renamed Canute?

There again we are trying to keep
away from monarchical
references now that we are citizens.

At least I know that not 'all' of him
is similarly afflicted!