Music Man is now on medication. Yup. I said I wouldn't do it unless I felt it was necessary. I put up every possible barrier I could think of to make sure I didn't have to do something to change my children. But now, both of my twins are medicated.
Ballerina has been on Focalin for some time now. To say that it solves all of her problems wouldn't be accurate. But it does attenuate so many of her impulses which allows her to focus and learn. We recently increased her Focalin dose (doubling it, in effect, but that's only because you can only increase it by 5mg increments and she was only receiving 5mg/day). I really don't directly see the effect of the Focalin. She only receives it when she has school (benefit of a steroid -- when it's in her system, it works but you don't need to maintain a level so she can have "time off"). But her teacher is telling me that she is noticing more attentive behavior, especially while on the carpet. She comes out of school generally happy and I see the progress in the work she brings home as well as the way she handles her homework. I'm still walking her through it all, but I'm supposed to be. She's getting the idea as the year has been progressing.
Music Man on the other hand, didn't have an ADHD diagnosis. Until this year, I really wasn't hearing much about his attention problems. But this school year, I am daily getting reports that he is "out of location". He is requiring almost one-on-one in order to get him to complete a task. He's become more and more self-willed with more and more anxieties that have been coming to light. When we saw the developmental specialist in October, she had brought up the possibility of prescribing Strattera, and non-steroid ADHD medication that also seems to help children with anxieties. But at the time, I didn't think this was necessary. I didn't think that his attention issues were that severe, and his anxieties were more of a concern but I didn't want to give him an ADHD medication if this wasn't much of a concern. I didn't realize what was going on.
For the last 4 months, I've been watching my son struggle. I've been seeing him perseverate on the things that cause him anxiety (specifically, elevators). I've been seeing the reports coming home from school every day that elopement has become an issue once again (this resolved before the winter). I'm watching him struggle every day. It was so bad one day about a month ago.....I was in the school doing some volunteer work (I'm there every Tuesday) and I hear him screaming. His screaming is so loud that he literally empties the office because they are looking to see what is wrong with this child. The problem was that he had to walk past an elevator to get from his classroom to the music classroom (and he has to pass this elevator several times a week to get to specials). After trying for several minutes, they actually took him outside to get between the two doors so they could avoid having him walk past the elevator. They did make him successfully walk past the elevator to return to the classroom and it was a one-time thing (once they knew the severity of the problem, they started implementing strategies), but this was a slap in the face to me, showing me how bad things really are. It was this that made me realize that we need to do something.
So, on Tuesday evening, Music Man began Strattera. We have now increased the dose from 10 to 18 mg as we are stepping our way up to 40mg. We were told that we shouldn't see much of an effect for 4-6 weeks. Every morning, Music Man has a couple of spoonfuls of applesauce. What he doesn't know is that inside the applesauce is Strattera powder that I get from opening the capsules. His teacher told me late last week that he seemed to be a little more manageable in terms of his anxieties, but they weren't seeing any changes with the attention issues. But his teacher is familiar with Strattera and that it takes time to reach full effectiveness.
So, now we have 2 children on very different medication. One of the things that I'm terrified of is mixing up which child gets which medication. They take it at the same time, but in very different ways. And, even opened up, there is an appearance difference between the two. Ballerina has her Focalin mixed with chocolate pudding. Music Man has his mixed with applesauce. Like I said....very different. But they get their medicine early in the day, before I've had anything to ensure I'm awake (i.e. coffee). Hopefully that will never happen.
Living life through chemistry.....that's us!
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Monday, March 11, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Answers.....or More Questions......
Things with Music Man have been falling apart since the start of the year. Well, it started earlier than that, but it's come to a head since the return from Winter Break. I had discussed with his developmental pediatrician back in October about the possibility of introducing Strattera and beginning the process of medicating him, but I was opposed to the idea. The reason she suggested this particular medication was because of how it helped children cope with Anxieties in addition to attention issues. But nothing was severe enough to justify medication.
Now they are.
Every day when Music Man's teacher would walk him to the car, there would be another story. He had a serious breakdown because of this. He's obsessing over the elevators. Things were so bad walking past the elevator in the school to get to Music special (he also has to walk past it to get to Media [aka Library] and Computer Lab) that they had to take him out of the school because he was just so bothered. He screamed to the point where he was emptying the school office and teachers were coming out to find out who was so upset and why. And all because he had to walk past an elevator. And now, earlier this week there was a fire drill and he's starting to obsess about that. Elevators are getting under control.....he's found his new obsession. He won't remain in his seat and attend to any of his teachers (regardless of the motivation). He has his rote skills but is having a hard time growing further because he can't attend. Elopement into the other kindergarten classrooms is a problem. He's showing no interest in interacting with his peers. We have taken so many positive steps forward. Now it feels like every day we're taking steps backwards.
This needs to stop.
This resulted in me calling for an IEP Meeting (which took place today). This is the first time I felt I needed to call for a meeting because of a problem for more than a few minutes (there have been times where I considered it, but never to the point where I actually sat down and wrote the email). When the packet of information came home with what had been going on, it was simply HUGE! There was a new (proposed) behavior plan. I realized my suspicions were right....his teacher by telling me all of the problems in the classroom, was hinting that we needed to get together.
I'm happy to report that it wasn't all bad news. Some of the strategies that they've been implementing have been successful. But it looks like he needs more than just strategies to cope......there's something not right biochemically (I believe). Autism does not necessarily require medication, but when the consequences of Autism (such as ADHD, OCD and Anxiety) come into play, you need to consider your options. I never told our doctor that I WOULDN'T medicate him.....I just didn't feel it was right when we were there in October. Now that it's late February, I realize that the time has come.
We see her next week. We'll find out what she has to say. But now, I have some more information to share with her. I have the behavior reports and the progress reports from his IEP and his teachers. It's time to discuss what we need to do to help my son. Medication has helped Ballerina to succeed. Now we need to consider what we need to do to help Music Man succeed as well.
There's too much potential there to allow his anxieties to cause it to all go to waste.
Now they are.
Every day when Music Man's teacher would walk him to the car, there would be another story. He had a serious breakdown because of this. He's obsessing over the elevators. Things were so bad walking past the elevator in the school to get to Music special (he also has to walk past it to get to Media [aka Library] and Computer Lab) that they had to take him out of the school because he was just so bothered. He screamed to the point where he was emptying the school office and teachers were coming out to find out who was so upset and why. And all because he had to walk past an elevator. And now, earlier this week there was a fire drill and he's starting to obsess about that. Elevators are getting under control.....he's found his new obsession. He won't remain in his seat and attend to any of his teachers (regardless of the motivation). He has his rote skills but is having a hard time growing further because he can't attend. Elopement into the other kindergarten classrooms is a problem. He's showing no interest in interacting with his peers. We have taken so many positive steps forward. Now it feels like every day we're taking steps backwards.
This needs to stop.
This resulted in me calling for an IEP Meeting (which took place today). This is the first time I felt I needed to call for a meeting because of a problem for more than a few minutes (there have been times where I considered it, but never to the point where I actually sat down and wrote the email). When the packet of information came home with what had been going on, it was simply HUGE! There was a new (proposed) behavior plan. I realized my suspicions were right....his teacher by telling me all of the problems in the classroom, was hinting that we needed to get together.
I'm happy to report that it wasn't all bad news. Some of the strategies that they've been implementing have been successful. But it looks like he needs more than just strategies to cope......there's something not right biochemically (I believe). Autism does not necessarily require medication, but when the consequences of Autism (such as ADHD, OCD and Anxiety) come into play, you need to consider your options. I never told our doctor that I WOULDN'T medicate him.....I just didn't feel it was right when we were there in October. Now that it's late February, I realize that the time has come.
We see her next week. We'll find out what she has to say. But now, I have some more information to share with her. I have the behavior reports and the progress reports from his IEP and his teachers. It's time to discuss what we need to do to help my son. Medication has helped Ballerina to succeed. Now we need to consider what we need to do to help Music Man succeed as well.
There's too much potential there to allow his anxieties to cause it to all go to waste.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
So Much Progress, So Far To Go
Today was our first review meeting for Ballerina. She has been in a general education classroom for 7-8 weeks and we needed to sit down as a group and figure out what's working and what's not. We had agreed to do this during her placement meeting / annual review at the end of last year.
Yesterday, I went to visit her in her classroom. I wanted to see what her teacher sees so I could understand the things that she was bringing up in the supporting paperwork. And, we all know that many children display something different while they are at school as compared to when they are at home. And her teacher told me that in so many ways she has made some great improvements, especially in these last couple of weeks. Her outbursts are less frequent and less intense, she has become much more compliant (especially for her classroom teacher) and they are discovering some of her passions. However, her focus is a real issue. She has a very difficult time following anything greater than 2-step instructions and she needs someone constantly prodding her to get her tasks completed.
But I watched her complete tasks. I watched her complete worksheets that involved multiple tasks (coloring, cutting and pasting) along with working on an academic concept (rhyming). But every minute or so, the para who was working with her had to prod her to get her focus back.
But the meeting started this morning and it began with the principal explaining that at the start of the school year that many on her team were concerned about her placement in general. General education classroom is extremely demanding and it was thought that perhaps it was beyond what she was ready to handle. However, these changes in these last couple of weeks showed them all that yes, a general education classroom is the right placement for her. We just have to make a couple adjustments to her plan to allow her to be successful. Knowing that we weren't going to make such a change (even though I strongly suspected this would be the case), it definitely helped to put me more at ease.
And transitions are still a problem (although they are greatly improved). She is no longer considered a menace to herself or her classmates with her constant body dropping behaviors as she was when the school year began.
It was great to listen to her entire team talk about all of the improvements she has made thus far this year. We did increase the number of hours of support because, honestly, she needs it. She was originally assigned 15 hours/week, but in practice she needs (and receives) 25 hours/week. By putting this into her official plan, it helps the school find the needed staffing and makes it more likely that she will get a dedicated staff member which will give her the consistency that she needs. The intent is still to try and reduce it over time, but for now, she really needs the help. Without it, she is not able to stay on task. One of the things I did observe is the 30 minutes or so in the morning where she is working independently. She was unable to complete any tasks. And when I asked if this was true regardless of the "center", her teacher informed me that it is.
Her classroom teacher is going to attempt a few simple tricks to see if they can improve her focus, including introducing some background classical music for quiet work times. Since she seems to enjoy music so much, perhaps it will help keep her calm and allow her to focus more on the tasks at hand. In addition, we are initiating a Formal Behavior Plan to ensure consistency across various staff members. Hopefully, these will all contribute to her success. We also agreed to meet again in December to discuss whether these efforts are successful and to, if necessary, make further modifications to her plan.
Now it's time to turn my attention to Music Man's meeting, which is scheduled for next week. His meeting will be a full annual review which will likely be a bit more intense.
I need to learn to control myself in approaching these meetings. They always cause so much anxiety. You would think I would be used to them by now. Perhaps this next one will be the one that makes me realize that this process is in place to help my children and I shouldn't get so worked up about these every single time.
Yesterday, I went to visit her in her classroom. I wanted to see what her teacher sees so I could understand the things that she was bringing up in the supporting paperwork. And, we all know that many children display something different while they are at school as compared to when they are at home. And her teacher told me that in so many ways she has made some great improvements, especially in these last couple of weeks. Her outbursts are less frequent and less intense, she has become much more compliant (especially for her classroom teacher) and they are discovering some of her passions. However, her focus is a real issue. She has a very difficult time following anything greater than 2-step instructions and she needs someone constantly prodding her to get her tasks completed.
But I watched her complete tasks. I watched her complete worksheets that involved multiple tasks (coloring, cutting and pasting) along with working on an academic concept (rhyming). But every minute or so, the para who was working with her had to prod her to get her focus back.
But the meeting started this morning and it began with the principal explaining that at the start of the school year that many on her team were concerned about her placement in general. General education classroom is extremely demanding and it was thought that perhaps it was beyond what she was ready to handle. However, these changes in these last couple of weeks showed them all that yes, a general education classroom is the right placement for her. We just have to make a couple adjustments to her plan to allow her to be successful. Knowing that we weren't going to make such a change (even though I strongly suspected this would be the case), it definitely helped to put me more at ease.
And transitions are still a problem (although they are greatly improved). She is no longer considered a menace to herself or her classmates with her constant body dropping behaviors as she was when the school year began.
It was great to listen to her entire team talk about all of the improvements she has made thus far this year. We did increase the number of hours of support because, honestly, she needs it. She was originally assigned 15 hours/week, but in practice she needs (and receives) 25 hours/week. By putting this into her official plan, it helps the school find the needed staffing and makes it more likely that she will get a dedicated staff member which will give her the consistency that she needs. The intent is still to try and reduce it over time, but for now, she really needs the help. Without it, she is not able to stay on task. One of the things I did observe is the 30 minutes or so in the morning where she is working independently. She was unable to complete any tasks. And when I asked if this was true regardless of the "center", her teacher informed me that it is.
Her classroom teacher is going to attempt a few simple tricks to see if they can improve her focus, including introducing some background classical music for quiet work times. Since she seems to enjoy music so much, perhaps it will help keep her calm and allow her to focus more on the tasks at hand. In addition, we are initiating a Formal Behavior Plan to ensure consistency across various staff members. Hopefully, these will all contribute to her success. We also agreed to meet again in December to discuss whether these efforts are successful and to, if necessary, make further modifications to her plan.
Now it's time to turn my attention to Music Man's meeting, which is scheduled for next week. His meeting will be a full annual review which will likely be a bit more intense.
I need to learn to control myself in approaching these meetings. They always cause so much anxiety. You would think I would be used to them by now. Perhaps this next one will be the one that makes me realize that this process is in place to help my children and I shouldn't get so worked up about these every single time.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Always Something To Worry About
Well, if it's not one thing, it's another......
First it was as they were getting ready to start kindergarten......could Ballerina handle the general ed classroom? Were we pushing Music Man too far with this near-mainstream program?
Then it was the wedding......how would everything work out?
Now we're back to IEPs......yup.....it's time for another meeting. On Wednesday, we're having Ballerina's first Review Meeting to determine what's working, what's not and what (if anything) needs to change. And, trust me.....there's a LOT that needs to change.
I keep hearing bits from her teacher or from one of the learning specialists who she's been working with -- she needs help for all academic time, she needs a behavior plan.....you name it. I was hoping things would be getting better at this point, but it seems like things are just staying the same.
I will be visiting her tomorrow, trying to be an invisible observer. I plan to be there before she returns from PE (Physical Education) and will stay until after she leaves for lunch (so about 1.5 hours). I will find a place to sit and I won't move. I won't ignore anyone, but I will do all I can to not draw attention to myself. I will hopefully get to see what is REALLY going on in that classroom. I will get to see a couple of transitions, both into and out of the classroom. And maybe I can start to understand what the teacher is dealing with.
I hate being in the dark like this. By this time, when Big Brother was in kindergarten, I was already a classroom volunteer. I can't bring up the subject until the meeting is over on Wednesday. Hopefully, the teacher will consent and I'll be able to begin that role next week.
I just hate not knowing what's happening in the classroom because I'm not sure I'm getting an accurate picture in the reports. She seems happy to go to school and happy to be picked up. But I'm not sure what she's getting out of the classroom.
I just need answers.
First it was as they were getting ready to start kindergarten......could Ballerina handle the general ed classroom? Were we pushing Music Man too far with this near-mainstream program?
Then it was the wedding......how would everything work out?
Now we're back to IEPs......yup.....it's time for another meeting. On Wednesday, we're having Ballerina's first Review Meeting to determine what's working, what's not and what (if anything) needs to change. And, trust me.....there's a LOT that needs to change.
I keep hearing bits from her teacher or from one of the learning specialists who she's been working with -- she needs help for all academic time, she needs a behavior plan.....you name it. I was hoping things would be getting better at this point, but it seems like things are just staying the same.
I will be visiting her tomorrow, trying to be an invisible observer. I plan to be there before she returns from PE (Physical Education) and will stay until after she leaves for lunch (so about 1.5 hours). I will find a place to sit and I won't move. I won't ignore anyone, but I will do all I can to not draw attention to myself. I will hopefully get to see what is REALLY going on in that classroom. I will get to see a couple of transitions, both into and out of the classroom. And maybe I can start to understand what the teacher is dealing with.
I hate being in the dark like this. By this time, when Big Brother was in kindergarten, I was already a classroom volunteer. I can't bring up the subject until the meeting is over on Wednesday. Hopefully, the teacher will consent and I'll be able to begin that role next week.
I just hate not knowing what's happening in the classroom because I'm not sure I'm getting an accurate picture in the reports. She seems happy to go to school and happy to be picked up. But I'm not sure what she's getting out of the classroom.
I just need answers.
Monday, August 27, 2012
First Day Of School
It's August 27. And, if you've been reading my posts lately, you know what that means.....it's the start of another school year. And it's the start of a BIG year.....Big Brother is now in 2nd Grade and Ballerina and Music Man are now in KINDERGARTEN!!!!! Music Man has the shelter of a special education classroom and Ballerina has been thrown to the wolves, starting her career as a student in a general education classroom.
I've been both excited and terrified (this is beyond nervous) about what's coming. Ballerina has not been excited about starting school this weekend, but showing signs of nervousness. I'm not certain if that's me projecting my own fears onto her or if she really wasn't happy about Mrs. R winning the battle of wills this past Friday during the Open House. And everyone has been making such a big deal about kindergarten, I can understand her feeling apprehensive. To make matters more complicated, I took her to school this morning rather than her arriving by bus. And it's not the same school she's been attending the last 2.5 years. She is now attending the same school as Music Man, for the first time. Yet they're separated by the wall between the two classrooms. And Big Brother is all the way down the hall, as far away as he could possibly be.
But, when they woke up this morning, we just jumped right in. We had a normal breakfast. Ballerina had her morning pudding (Focalin XR) and actually finished her cereal (slightly unusual). Then she played on her phone and in front of the mirror. She enjoyed looking at the princess in the mirror. Music Man too was having a normal morning. But I could feel the tension the closer we came to walking out the door.
For Music Man, it came out when I started putting on the socks and shoes. He didn't want to wear sneakers or socks. He knew that this meant it was time to go to school. And the crying started. He was all right once we got outside and into the car, but when we pulled into the school parking lot, things went from bad to worse. He really didn't want to be THERE. School was one thing, but Big Brother's school was another. But as we were walking to the door, he saw the paraeducator for the kindergarten class, and he immediately started to feel more comfortable. I could feel him stop pulling me away from the school and considering going with the para. And, a minute or two later, she held out her hand, and he took it and went happily to his new experience.
For Ballerina, things didn't go so smoothly. She became upset when Music Man got upset (not much of a surprise). That was when she realized something BIG was happening. We walked into the kindergarten playground where the other kindergarteners were waiting and she began to cling. She kept insisting, "I CAN'T!" and was just VERY upset about everything. After a couple of moments, Mrs. R came over to Ballerina and me. She said that I could stay for a few minutes, or I could leave. But if I was to leave, I had to go and not look back. I thought about it for a moment, and realized that I needed to do JUST that. So, I got Ballerina back on her feet, gave her a hug, and told her to have a good day. I gave her a hug and a kiss, and then left the playground to check on Big Brother, listening to her crying and screaming the whole time. I just hope she didn't see that I was crying too.
Later, I asked some of the parents who were dropping off their kindergarteners to check up on her, and they informed me that she was no longer upset and that the teachers had her under control.
It is now 2:45 and I am getting ready to pick them up from their first day of school. I only hope that they ALL had a good day!!!!!
Big Brother preparing to leave for school.
Getting ready to get in the car to head to school for the first day.
Getting ready to enter the classrooms and begin a new year of learning.
I've been both excited and terrified (this is beyond nervous) about what's coming. Ballerina has not been excited about starting school this weekend, but showing signs of nervousness. I'm not certain if that's me projecting my own fears onto her or if she really wasn't happy about Mrs. R winning the battle of wills this past Friday during the Open House. And everyone has been making such a big deal about kindergarten, I can understand her feeling apprehensive. To make matters more complicated, I took her to school this morning rather than her arriving by bus. And it's not the same school she's been attending the last 2.5 years. She is now attending the same school as Music Man, for the first time. Yet they're separated by the wall between the two classrooms. And Big Brother is all the way down the hall, as far away as he could possibly be.
But, when they woke up this morning, we just jumped right in. We had a normal breakfast. Ballerina had her morning pudding (Focalin XR) and actually finished her cereal (slightly unusual). Then she played on her phone and in front of the mirror. She enjoyed looking at the princess in the mirror. Music Man too was having a normal morning. But I could feel the tension the closer we came to walking out the door.
For Music Man, it came out when I started putting on the socks and shoes. He didn't want to wear sneakers or socks. He knew that this meant it was time to go to school. And the crying started. He was all right once we got outside and into the car, but when we pulled into the school parking lot, things went from bad to worse. He really didn't want to be THERE. School was one thing, but Big Brother's school was another. But as we were walking to the door, he saw the paraeducator for the kindergarten class, and he immediately started to feel more comfortable. I could feel him stop pulling me away from the school and considering going with the para. And, a minute or two later, she held out her hand, and he took it and went happily to his new experience.
For Ballerina, things didn't go so smoothly. She became upset when Music Man got upset (not much of a surprise). That was when she realized something BIG was happening. We walked into the kindergarten playground where the other kindergarteners were waiting and she began to cling. She kept insisting, "I CAN'T!" and was just VERY upset about everything. After a couple of moments, Mrs. R came over to Ballerina and me. She said that I could stay for a few minutes, or I could leave. But if I was to leave, I had to go and not look back. I thought about it for a moment, and realized that I needed to do JUST that. So, I got Ballerina back on her feet, gave her a hug, and told her to have a good day. I gave her a hug and a kiss, and then left the playground to check on Big Brother, listening to her crying and screaming the whole time. I just hope she didn't see that I was crying too.
Later, I asked some of the parents who were dropping off their kindergarteners to check up on her, and they informed me that she was no longer upset and that the teachers had her under control.
It is now 2:45 and I am getting ready to pick them up from their first day of school. I only hope that they ALL had a good day!!!!!
Big Brother preparing to leave for school.
Getting ready to get in the car to head to school for the first day.
Getting ready to enter the classrooms and begin a new year of learning.
Friday, August 24, 2012
A Test
The last two days have been a bit of a test.....Back To School Night last evening and Open House today. This was my chance to see who these teachers are and what they will be able to do to help Ballerina and Music Man.
First of all, let me say that I got my wish in Ballerina's teacher. It was the specific person I was hoping for.....while being kind, she is extremely strict and the children in her class learn very quickly that this is NOT a woman to cross. This is EXACTLY what Ballerina needs.....she needs to understand that lines in the sand have been drawn and she needs to behave in an acceptable manner. I think this teacher will give her that structure.
Overall, I spent most of the night in Music Man's classroom listening to his teacher. I am familiar with the kindergarten curriculum (which is relatively new) as Big Brother also experienced this same curriculum (he was the first class, so his teachers have been learning along with him). Even though the Learning Center follows the same curriculum, things are presented in a slightly different fashion, so that was the presentation I attended. I really do like much of what this teacher does.....she too is kind but firm and her reputation is untouchable. I know of several children who have been through her class since we began learning about educating Autistic children and, as a parent, you couldn't wish for better. The only surprise was that there would be 3 first graders in the class as well (how this would be handled was explained to me [and the other parents]) and I know we are not alone in this.....the other program we considered had combined classes throughout elementary school.
Then, after the Learning Center teacher was done, I went to talk to Ballerina's teacher. She had finished talking to the parents, but we talked briefly about my concerns and fears and made my recommendations about how to handle certain potential situations. I had written a letter to her, but chose to not bring it in (it really just didn't feel right to do that when the time came) and when I left, I felt much better about the situation. I knew her slightly from personal experience, but mostly by reputation. This conversation proved to me that her reputation is well-earned and, like Music Man's teacher, she is quite firm with these children while still providing a fun and loving atmosphere.
For the Open House, Big Brother was in his element.....he went in, met his teacher, bragged about his trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house (how he went to a planetarium and the Intrepid, attended a carnival, swam in a lake, etc). He spent much of the time with Ballerina and I, giving her a tour of the school. She learned where not only her classroom was, but where the cafeteria, art room, gym, music room, library, and computer lab were located.
But she did start testing her teacher. She didn't WANT to look at Mrs. R. She didn't WANT to do the "assignment" (scavenger hunt around the classroom and school). She didn't WANT to put the stickers for success on the paper, but put them on her fingertips. But Mrs. R insisted. And Ballerina complied....not exactly willingly, but by the end, quite enthusiastically.
Overall, it was a good couple of days. My anxiety level has dropped slightly and hopefully things will feel even better once I drop them off at school on Monday. In the meantime, it's time to enjoy the weekend!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Anxiety
I don't think parents of special needs children are more anxious about anything as much as they are about the dreaded "IEP Meeting". And I have to count myself in that group.
Simon's IEP Meeting is on Thursday. I will be going to school to visit and observe tomorrow (Wednesday). I have reviewed his draft IEP document and have a couple of questions, but they are minor. But once again, I'm about to sit in a room that is going to define his next academic year (but I realize this time that we aren't going to be seriously considering kindergarten placement yet) and I find myself wondering if I am making the best decisions.
Is my desire to have him attend this particular program for kindergarten really the best option? Because all of the goals and objectives have that plan in mind. There are many reasons I want him to go to this particular program. Some are for his benefits and others are for mine. And there's always that thought in the back of my mind of putting Rachel and Simon together again, a dream that I (apparently) still haven't fully let go.
I don't know if we are going to take the time during the meeting to discuss the options (even though we won't reach a decision). But, unlike for Rachel, I'm really not sure what the best choice for Simon will be. Either way, I hope that we can discuss it rather than have one of us dictate to the other what should be done.
Simon's IEP Meeting is on Thursday. I will be going to school to visit and observe tomorrow (Wednesday). I have reviewed his draft IEP document and have a couple of questions, but they are minor. But once again, I'm about to sit in a room that is going to define his next academic year (but I realize this time that we aren't going to be seriously considering kindergarten placement yet) and I find myself wondering if I am making the best decisions.
Is my desire to have him attend this particular program for kindergarten really the best option? Because all of the goals and objectives have that plan in mind. There are many reasons I want him to go to this particular program. Some are for his benefits and others are for mine. And there's always that thought in the back of my mind of putting Rachel and Simon together again, a dream that I (apparently) still haven't fully let go.
I don't know if we are going to take the time during the meeting to discuss the options (even though we won't reach a decision). But, unlike for Rachel, I'm really not sure what the best choice for Simon will be. Either way, I hope that we can discuss it rather than have one of us dictate to the other what should be done.
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