The Following is a transcript of a recorded bedtime conversation that I had with my son at the age of 9. We were starting to have a lot of meaningful discussions at this time, unpacking his experience of being neurodivergent. I loved these night time talks and the creative nuggets of insights he shared with me to help me understand his world better. On this day, instead of listening and jotting down the memories of our talk, I decided to record our conversation.

At this time, I’m choosing not to upload the audio, though my son has given me his full permission to share it. I would like to hold on to it for now, to make sure that he is sure.

The edited transcript doesn’t quite do the recording justice of how sweet and organic this conversation was, but these were the thoughts he shared with me…

Age 9 | Grade 3

IIM Conversation At Bedtime - M: Mom, P: Pierce

M:

Pierce, can you just talk to me about what IIM is… and what it’s like for you?

P:

OK. Well IIM is like a movie theatre… in… my… brain.

I can turn it on whenever I would like.

… I usually do movements when I do my IIM.

… it’s like a movie theatre - I can think whatever I want…

M:

Are you sitting in the movie theatre? Or are you in the movie?

P:

I can be in the movie, I can… be sitting in the movie theatre.

I basically can make…whatever movie I want, or like [take] from other clips that I see, like, from other movies.

M:

Are you usually sitting in the theatre, or are you usually in the movie?

P:

I’m not usually in the movie.

…like, if I’m playing a video game from the night before, I usually put it into my [IIM] and make it more exciting.

M:

How do you make it more exciting?

P:

I just add, like, things that I think would be like cool… like cool explosions…or like…stuff like that.

M:

You said that you could choose… when to go into your IIM…

P:

Yeah

M:

Is that all the time?

P:
Yeah, I can go whenever I want to go. Like, I can go in right now… if I choose.

M:

So you don’t need to be watching anything exciting?

P:

No, but…sometimes I can do it WHEN I’m watching something exciting.

M:

Does this mean that you can also stop your IIM whenever you want to?

P:

Yeah.

M:

When you were younger were you able to stop your IIM whenever you want to?

P:

Ummmm…when I was younger, like… I used to like… [stop] it more when I like 8…7… then like at the younger ages. But When I did do it more at the younger ages… I kinda could control it…but not usually.

M:

Did you ever think that your IIM was kind of embarrassing? Or…

P: No

M:

What did you think of you IIM?

P:

I think it’s cool, it’s really nice… it’s exciting.

I wouldn’t…say it’s calm though-ha!

M:

It’s not calm? Can you explain it?

P:

What I mean by it’s not calm, it’s ‘cause I don’t really make it calm (laughing)

…like, I’m a silly kid….-ha. I watch a lot of action movies …they don’t really [keep things calm]...

M:

Cool. OK.

So you sit in the movie theatre. You’re not in the movie?

P:

Yeah, not usually. But there has been a few times when I have been in the movie.

M:

Interesting, ‘cause when you were younger you used to tell me you were in the movie,

P:

I know,

M:

…and everything would be happening around you.

P:

…Yeah, it’s kinda like…When I am in the movie, I feel like I’m in the VR set…headset

M:

OK. So which is the better experience?

Sitting and watching?

P:

Sitting and watching.

M:

More exciting than being in the movie?

P:

Yeah….

Pierce was getting tired and so I wanted to let him rest and get his sleep. His answers weren’t as detailed or descriptive on this occassion because we had a long day. I figured I would record another day when he wasn’t as tired.

Intense Imagery Movements

IIM: A Child’s Experience

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IIM: A Child’s Experience

An Intro…

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