Sharon's son -- lunch

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/2/04 8:10:23 AM Central Standard Time, Autism and Aspergers Treatment writes:

Hey everyone. I have been catching up on emails. I had a ton to catch up on.

As for Robbie, we got out of him that he hates the lunch and the smells in

the room. Also something about a boy that was mean to him in the hall, called

him names threatened him etc. So he was scared to go to school. we now have it

worked out with the school that someone stays with him always. He is not to

be left alone, so that he feels safe. We are still getting him in to see a

therapist to help with his fear and anxiety. I also started packing his lunch

to take to school. we got him a new lunchbox and all. For a few days, I took

him and kind of stuck around till he was o.k. I also call to check

Sharon

The noise was a lot for my son when he was younger. He is now in high school, but years ago in Ele school, he could not STAND the noise. We then tried something pretty neat, for a while there was a classroom aide, who took and then some others to a small room near the library during lunch to eat. This helped and also he got some one on one time with certain kids. Actually some have told me online that they have done this too and their SW took the kids and the other students who went were all very good role model, leader type students who usually were very helpful and understanding and they iuntermingled these kids in with a few who needed help and some who did not, so that it looked like just a few were eating lunch in a side room and no one felt conspicuous. This is just an idea.

Good luck

hugs to your son and you...

in IL :_)

[Guest guest]

> In a message dated 12/2/04 8:10:23 AM Central Standard Time,

> Autism and Aspergers Treatment writes:

>

> > Hey everyone. I have been catching up on emails. I had a ton to

catch up

> > on.

> > As for Robbie, we got out of him that he hates the lunch and the

smells in

> > the room. Also something about a boy that was mean to him in the

hall,

> > called

> > him names threatened him etc. So he was scared to go to school.

we now have

> > it

> > worked out with the school that someone stays with him always. He

is not to

> > be left alone, so that he feels safe. We are still getting him

in to see a

> >

> > therapist to help with his fear and anxiety. I also started

packing his

> > lunch

> > to take to school. we got him a new lunchbox and all. For a few

days, I

> > took

> > him and kind of stuck around till he was o.k. I also call to

check

>

> Sharon

>

> The noise was a lot for my son when he was younger. He is now in

high school,

> but years ago in Ele school, he could not STAND the noise. We then

tried

> something pretty neat, for a while there was a classroom aide, who

took and

> then some others to a small room near the library during lunch to

eat. This

> helped and also he got some one on one time with certain kids.

Actually some

> have told me online that they have done this too and their SW took

the kids and

> the other students who went were all very good role model, leader

type students

> who usually were very helpful and understanding and they

iuntermingled these

> kids in with a few who needed help and some who did not, so that it

looked

> like just a few were eating lunch in a side room and no one felt

conspicuous.

> This is just an idea.

>

> Good luck

>

> hugs to your son and you...

> in IL :_)

This is not as uncommon as you may think Sharon! ~hugs~ When my son

was in grade school, they had enough students that were overwhelmed

with the smells/noise/numbers/stimulation during lunch and lunch

recess. What they came up with was a room that the kids

could " choose " to eat in that was quiet and less stimulating. It also

didn't smell! After the kids had lunch, they were free to play board

games, listen to music with headphones on, role play and problem

solve with the counselor that was hosting " lunch games " or they could

choose to do their own activities off by themselves. This gave many

of the kids a much needed break during the day, a safe place to go

where an adult was facilitating the interactions, and a time to

unwind and do what they needed to do to make the rest of the day a

success... Tyler still misses it and this is his second year of

junior high! (though he has found that the school's activity director

will often let him lunch in her room so that he can read or pull

another student in to play a game... Still, it isn't a consistant

every day thing like in grade school)

~hugs~

Rabecca

[Guest guest]

>From: " rabecca_whalen " <rabeccawhalen@...>

>

>This is not as uncommon as you may think Sharon! ~hugs~ When my son

>was in grade school, they had enough students that were overwhelmed

>with the smells/noise/numbers/stimulation during lunch and lunch

>recess. What they came up with was a room that the kids

>could " choose " to eat in that was quiet and less stimulating. It also

>didn't smell! After the kids had lunch, they were free to play board

>games, listen to music with headphones on, role play and problem

>solve with the counselor that was hosting " lunch games " or they could

>choose to do their own activities off by themselves. This gave many

>of the kids a much needed break during the day, a safe place to go

>where an adult was facilitating the interactions, and a time to

>unwind and do what they needed to do to make the rest of the day a

>success... Tyler still misses it and this is his second year of

>junior high! (though he has found that the school's activity director

>will often let him lunch in her room so that he can read or pull

>another student in to play a game... Still, it isn't a consistant

>every day thing like in grade school)

>

>~hugs~

>Rabecca

Rabecca

I tried to do this at 's high school. Asked them if he could eat with

a group of other kids (all interested in Yu-Gi-Oh) in a separate room where

they could play cards - eat - converse - etc without the rest of the

lunchroom (450+ kids) bothering them. I felt it would be beneficial for

(not getting his cards stolen so often - less noise and commotion -

less likelyhood of him melting down) as well as the other kids would also

benefit by having a quieter place to play cards.

I was told that they couldn't accomodate my request. That they would have to

find a separate place for each group that asked for one and they couldn't

possibly do that . They couldn't even offer another solution.

I am so happy that there are school districts in this country that actually

honor the individuality of each student. I just wish there were more like

them

Hugs

Steph

[Guest guest]

For anyone interested, Dr. Jeannette McAfee, Shore, and others will

speakers for a Hawaiian autism conference and event this February 2005. If

you always wanted to go to Hawaii to have fun and learn at the same time

this is a great opportunity.

Go to: www.chartingthewaters.com

leigh

Re: Sharon's son -- lunch

Steph,

It just breaks my heart to hear some of the things that are passing

for education and schooling around the country!!! We aren't by any

means the best school district and we do have big schools, but

something that they realized around here was that if you have more

contented, happier students, then the scores go up... If you have a

lot of dissention, stress, bullying, and anxiety, the scores go

down... Because they are really competitive, they will do what they

can to have the scores continue to rise (it gives them prestige)...

Along the way, they found they were having less trouble between

groups, less trouble with fighting, less trouble in the classrooms

etc... Most groups are represented at Tyler's school (they would have

to be at over 1000 students per grade) By having an activities

director who can coordinate different types of activities to keep the

kids interested, interacting (and out of trouble)many of those who

previously felt left out or disinfranchised now feel like there is a

place for them in the schools...

Though Tyler doesn't regularly have a special lunch place (though the

librarian said that he can always go eat in there and the activities

director lets him and those in the same boat use her office when she

is available) there are activities and different areas that the kids

can congregate after eating (you wouldn't want a whole boat load of

them in any one space anyway, especially with sensory issues!!!) They

have everything from intermeral sports to game tables to open gyms to

the library to different teacher's who will let students in on their

lunch breaks etc... They just can not disrupt hallways were others

are still in class (very important or they loose their privlage of

being out of the lunch arena) They also have not only the sports

programs after school, but free clubs, teams, and activities after

school. Many of these are limited in number of students and there is

always a contract signed by students and the person supervising the

activity (as well as the parents) stating what sorts of behaviors are

allowed. This keeps it a safe place for all, no matter the

ability/disability (you would be amazed what they can do with some of

these kiddos!!!)

Tyler is competing regionally with his robotics team tomorrow in

Washington state. His team is comprised of about 10, many who are

either diagonsed as on the spectrum or have traits... They seem to

gravitate to this activity... Anyway, They are ready, excited, and

have learned how to work in small teams (of 2-3)They each have their

task, their responsibilities and each is obsessed over this to the

point of knowing everything everyone else is also supposed to do and

how... Though the school now has about 3k in robotics supplies, much

was purchased through matching grants which matched what the school

would donate plus what the community donated... He and his teammates

haven't paid a dime to participate, and they have worked hard 1-2

afternoons a week since the beginning of the school year to make this

a reality... He is also on the chess team, in drama, and until

recently was in the computer club, all for free and all with kids

that needed smaller groups, lower stimulation, and direct supervision.

Anyway, I hope more schools realize that it is imperitive that the

kids have safe places to go and to be " involved " at their own level

and interests for them to keep a positive environment within the

school system!!! (Ours actually requires a certain number of

volunteer hours per employee that is actually signed at the time

employment is agreed upon (a condition of employment)... mandatory

volunteering can be a GREAT thing for our kids because they get the

extra attention without the extra costs, and those volunteering get

to choose how they wish to spend that time, so they get really in to

the activities they host!)

~hugs~

Rabecca

> I tried to do this at 's high school. Asked them if he could

eat with

> a group of other kids (all interested in Yu-Gi-Oh) in a separate

room where

> they could play cards - eat - converse - etc without the rest of

the

> lunchroom (450+ kids) bothering them. I felt it would be

beneficial for

> (not getting his cards stolen so often - less noise and

commotion -

> less likelyhood of him melting down) as well as the other kids

would also

> benefit by having a quieter place to play cards.

>

> I was told that they couldn't accomodate my request. That they

would have to

> find a separate place for each group that asked for one and they

couldn't

> possibly do that . They couldn't even offer another solution.

>

> I am so happy that there are school districts in this country that

actually

> honor the individuality of each student. I just wish there were

more like

> them

>

> Hugs

>

> Steph