I try not to blog as a means of venting, but right now I can't help it. As you regular readers know, my 10 year old will be going back to traditional public school... on MONDAY. I am a nervous wreck. I feel like I am going to have a heart attack. Totally FREAKING OUT!
I have met the principle, the psychologist, the vice-principle, and on Monday I will meet his teacher. The psych. assure me that my baby is getting essentially the greatest 4th grade teacher ever. Seriously.
I have to go buy big pencils, a rolling backpack, give him a dress code hair cut. I ordered a fidget toy for him to use in class. I am fully confident that they will do whatever necessary to educate my Aspie without ruining him, but the anticipation is killing me. Pray for my baby and for me. I may need it more.
I am really hoping that his classmates will embrace him in all of his fleece cargo panted, slippered, awkward glory.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Schooling with Asperger's
When I pulled my son out of school half way through the second grade, I didn't know it was because of Asperger's. He was enrolled in a charter home school because I didn't know what else to do. We finally got a diagnosis in 4th grade. After a lot of thought and struggle I pulled him out of the charter and began unschooling him. The main goal was to spend time teaching him social skills, coping skills, and worry about academics when he could handle it emotionally. I am pleased to say that my method worked. He progressed from a violent resistance to any structured activity with a preference for a single activity, to moving from activity to activity of his choosing through out the day. That might not sound like much but for us it's huge.
He has also become much more flexible. He will willingly try new activities, handles well changes in plans, engages new people in conversation, and makes eye contact when he tells people that he doesn't shake hands.
We moved to a new house so that he could have his own room, more space, and quiet time. Our new neighborhood is near the school where my younger son will attend kindergarten in the fall. Every time we drive past we say hello to the 4yo's new school. Two weeks ago we drove past at release time. My 10yo Aspie said that if he went to school there we could walk, and not even need a car. I asked if he would be interested in attending that school, he said "sure, if they have a special class for kids like me."
We met this week with the school psychologist and my son will be trying out public school again, by his choice. I will keep you updated on how it all goes.
He has also become much more flexible. He will willingly try new activities, handles well changes in plans, engages new people in conversation, and makes eye contact when he tells people that he doesn't shake hands.
We moved to a new house so that he could have his own room, more space, and quiet time. Our new neighborhood is near the school where my younger son will attend kindergarten in the fall. Every time we drive past we say hello to the 4yo's new school. Two weeks ago we drove past at release time. My 10yo Aspie said that if he went to school there we could walk, and not even need a car. I asked if he would be interested in attending that school, he said "sure, if they have a special class for kids like me."
We met this week with the school psychologist and my son will be trying out public school again, by his choice. I will keep you updated on how it all goes.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Grown ups
At 5:45 pm on January 20, 2010 I realized I am a grown up. It's a small thing, but it hit me big.
I have been trying forever to stop wanting to be someone else. I have been saying for 30 years that I want to be like (insert cool person's name here) when I grow up. I was just sitting here musing about the people whose work I admire, wondering how far along they are in life's journey. Then I started to wonder how far along I am. I was thinking about who I want to be when I grow up. I couldn't come up with anyone. I then realized that I want to be ME when I grow up. Me. The best of me. Me at my best. It sounds so obvious and I am sure I have been spouting it for years, but this was the first time I realized that the drive to be just me and no one else is truly a part of my thought process. It's like breathing. It isn't a struggle.
I have been trying forever to stop wanting to be someone else. I have been saying for 30 years that I want to be like (insert cool person's name here) when I grow up. I was just sitting here musing about the people whose work I admire, wondering how far along they are in life's journey. Then I started to wonder how far along I am. I was thinking about who I want to be when I grow up. I couldn't come up with anyone. I then realized that I want to be ME when I grow up. Me. The best of me. Me at my best. It sounds so obvious and I am sure I have been spouting it for years, but this was the first time I realized that the drive to be just me and no one else is truly a part of my thought process. It's like breathing. It isn't a struggle.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Perspective: parenting children with disabilities.
I'm sitting in a waiting room with elderly women and their adult children who are developmentaly disabled. Rarely in the world do you see such displays of love and patience as I am seeing now. It makes me so grateful that my children have the abilities that they do, and grateful that these women have given themselves so gladly to caring for their children.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
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