The Cow Defense

Benjamin has always been a challenge, and "laid-back" is not a concept one would pick to describe him. With the start of a new school, he had been a bit down as well, and seemed to be unable to find joy in his day-to-day. So I thought I would try talking to someone at BUP (the children's psychology service) to see how we could help him. (With his other learning difficulties now becoming more clear, contact with BUP may also help in getting him appropriate support in school.) Anyway, after meeting both me and David, it was now Benjamin's turn...

We were ushered in to a room with a sandbox and a reported 362 toys to play with in the sand. Benjamin immediately launched into an elaborate fantasy world (in which he excels) with a house, a monkey and a group of evil crocodiles who had captured a small duck and were holding it hostage. After building a house for the monkey and his friends, complete with bed and bedcovers, Benjamin then identified more small animal hostages and set about freeing them. He set up guns on both sides (good and evil) and the proceeded to fire... ducklings, which had devastating effects on the evil crocodiles. The crocodiles were then reinforced by a bear, who had been on the good side, but like Darth Vader, had been turned from good to bad. A few cars were brought into the battle, fighting for the good, of course, but then came the secret weapon - the mad flying cow. She charged into action, flying into both bear and crocodiles, and upending the enemy weapons, rendering them useless.

In the final 15 minutes, the psychiatrist tried to chat with Benjamin about life, happiness and his state of mind, but only got the response that he has evil parents who make him play hockey...

I only wonder what the psychiatrists take was on the whole experience...