Who's the boss?

Our guy, who speaks well enough to be understood by everyone, but poorly enough that everyone notices how oddly he speaks, is very interested in a non-verbal 13 year old who is in some of his pull-out classes this year. He was talking to me about the tough time that the 13 year old must have, what with not being able to speak, when he commented that kids who are younger than this boy (which includes my son) act like they are the boss of him, just because they can speak and he can't. Then he mused about how unfair that was, and how if must make the 13 year old feel like a baby. Then he resolved to let the older kid "be the boss" from now on.

I didn't have any input in this conversation because it really did seem to be a tricky situation to me, so I never got beyond, "Uh huh" and "Really?" It's going to be interesting to see how the practicalities of letting the older boy take the lead play out, but I guess it only really comes down to adjusting one's timing and remembering to look at the older boy's communication device. If grown-ups can do it kids can too. The older boy has been invited over for video games so, with luck, I should get to see this in action.