Re: Re: Psychological Evaluation

[Guest guest]

I am worried about this also as my grandson is so bluntly vocal about

things. He has picked up a lot of his vocabulary from movies he watches

and has been told not to use this language at school but still he

persists. He loves the two movies, " War of the Worlds " right now and I

have a little Christmas village and he wants to take it home so he can

" blow it up " he said. He spends his days pretending he is a tri-pod and

goes about liquidating things. He is copying the movie. And he draws in

detail with colored pens and people are getting killed right and left,

but this also is in the movie. He drew the whole family pictures for

Christmas of these violent scenes.

Trouble is he drew one for his teacher with some profanity on it!! She

told my daughter she has to " report " it now. I though, Ooooh nooo, they

already think he has violent tendencies now a report too! He doesn't

like school and can be quite blunt and rude to his classmates. His mom

bribed him to go after the Christmas break by saying she would order him

a tripod model. So she ordered it but he is getting impatient waiting

after a week. He got a model of one of the flying things for Christmas

and just love it, flies it all over zapping things and makes all the

sound affects, etc.

I don't think he is violent at all, he just loves this sort of thing. If

he is violent then what are they going to do with Lucas and other

creators of such things. He also loves " Star Wars " and dressed as

General can't remember his name, Gievious or something, his mom got him

the costume. He likes the big mean guys the most. I think this is normal

little boy behavior, most kids always loved Darth Vader, but are they

labeled as violent. No!

It is going to be some ride with this boy and he is only 7 1/2 now in

2nd grade. Can be soooo sweet and polite and nice though when he wants

to be. More than a regular kid so tender and compassionate..

Carolyn OR ;o)

itshotinjt04 wrote:

>

> This reminds me of when my brother was in high school...My father

> worked at a plant that made glass bottles. He would bring home the

> paper they used with the formulas on it for us to use the other side.

> My brother had some paper with him at school and one of the kids asked

> if that was a recipe to make bombs. My brother replied Yes, not

> thinking of what the consequences would entail. The other kid reported

> him and he was called into the office with my parents. It was treated

> as a bomb threat and he was suspended. IF he had a correct diagnosis

> at the time this may have all been avoided, but he didn't (ADD was

> diagnosed although they refused him help). My mom even tried to argue

> the fact that if you looked at the ingredients, it was obvious they

> were for glass, but because he said it was for a bomb...What idiots!

> The saddest part is that people like this are the educators!! They

> can't even make educated decisions about appropriate punishments!

>

>

> > >

> > >> **

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> Hi everyone. My son's school just called and told me that they are

> > >> " highly recommending " that I have a psychological evaluation done on

> > >> him. They feel that he is presenting behaviors that they " have never

> > >> seen from all the other autistic children they have worked with. "

> > >> They said that they are very concerned about these behaviors as they

> > >> are interfering with his ability to learn. The school psychologist

> > >> told me that they feel he may have a mood disorder or oppositional

> > >> defiance disorder, and they really need to know what they are working

> > >> with. I asked how knowing if he had dual diagnosis would effect his

> > >> educational plan. She really couldn't answer me clearly. It all

> > >> seems that they are looking for a legal out to not have to deal with

> > >> him in public school.

> > >>

> > >> Now, I have never put him on any pharmaceuticals, nor do I want

> him on

> > >> them (since I have heard hundreds of horror stories). MY feeling is

> > >> that anyone who evaluates him will not be experienced working with

> > >> autistic children and the behavioral issues that are part of that

> > >> diagnosis, and they seem to want to prescribe

> immediately...everyone -

> > >> regardless (like banks giving lollipops to children).

> > >>

> > >> Any advice would be appreciated.

> > >>

> > >> Thanks,

> > >> Debra

> > >>

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > --

> > > Terri D. Eagen-Torkko

> > > Full-time feminist event planner, freelance editor, 24/7 bonus mom

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Wow, this is a lot like me when I was 11-12. I did all these violent comics

and Kid Pix drawings with characters from " The Addams Family " in them. My

mom practically had a stroke, a ruptured aneurism, and a heart attack at the

same time. Fortunately, I had the insight not to draw them in school. But

my mom was, for some reason, inordinately convinced that I was doing so and

so forbade me to draw them entirely. Of course, I still did them, and just

didn't show them to her. I am addressing this sort of thing in the book I'm

working on!

I have just jumped into this conversation, so I don't know if you've tried

my suggestions already, but, what I would do is this:

Set up a meeting with all his teachers. Tell them that you are letting him

draw whatever he wants at home and that he is still learning about the " time

and place " for things. Is he drawing FICTIONAL characters doing such violent

stuff or REAL people? If it's just fictional, you probably have nothing to

worry about, especially if he's not hurting anybody. And if that's the case,

remind the teachers of that. Tell them that if they have any concerns, they

can call you, but in the meantime you are trying to help him learn about a

time and a place for everything. Does he have an audience for these drawings

at home? That is very important, so he doesn't feel like he is being

inhibited. Perhaps he has relatives, such as cousins, who share his

sensibilities or sense of humor? Fortunately my cousins were/are like that,

and if my mother had just told me, " These are the kinds of things that you

do when your cousins come over, not in X situation, " that would have been

better for me.

He may not get it right away about the " time and place " for everything. It

may take him several instances of getting in trouble before he gets it.

That's typical of Asperger's, I think. Maybe instead of just telling him,

" People might interpret it as a threat, " remind him that sometimes teachers

will freak out and call the police. Do you think saying something that

extreme would work?

I am actually quite curious to see some of these drawings. Is he good at

drawing?

JE

> I am worried about this also as my grandson is so bluntly vocal about

> things. He has picked up a lot of his vocabulary from movies he watches

> and has been told not to use this language at school but still he

> persists. He loves the two movies, " War of the Worlds " right now and I

> have a little Christmas village and he wants to take it home so he can

> " blow it up " he said. He spends his days pretending he is a tri-pod and

> goes about liquidating things. He is copying the movie. And he draws in

> detail with colored pens and people are getting killed right and left,

> but this also is in the movie. He drew the whole family pictures for

> Christmas of these violent scenes.

>

> Trouble is he drew one for his teacher with some profanity on it!! She

> told my daughter she has to " report " it now. I though, Ooooh nooo, they

> already think he has violent tendencies now a report too! He doesn't

> like school and can be quite blunt and rude to his classmates. His mom

> bribed him to go after the Christmas break by saying she would order him

> a tripod model. So she ordered it but he is getting impatient waiting

> after a week. He got a model of one of the flying things for Christmas

> and just love it, flies it all over zapping things and makes all the

> sound affects, etc.

>

> I don't think he is violent at all, he just loves this sort of thing. If

> he is violent then what are they going to do with Lucas and other

> creators of such things. He also loves " Star Wars " and dressed as

> General can't remember his name, Gievious or something, his mom got him

> the costume. He likes the big mean guys the most. I think this is normal

> little boy behavior, most kids always loved Darth Vader, but are they

> labeled as violent. No!

>

> It is going to be some ride with this boy and he is only 7 1/2 now in

> 2nd grade. Can be soooo sweet and polite and nice though when he wants

> to be. More than a regular kid so tender and compassionate..

>

> Carolyn OR ;o)

>

>

> itshotinjt04 wrote:

>>

>> This reminds me of when my brother was in high school...My father

>> worked at a plant that made glass bottles. He would bring home the

>> paper they used with the formulas on it for us to use the other side.

>> My brother had some paper with him at school and one of the kids asked

>> if that was a recipe to make bombs. My brother replied Yes, not

>> thinking of what the consequences would entail. The other kid reported

>> him and he was called into the office with my parents. It was treated

>> as a bomb threat and he was suspended. IF he had a correct diagnosis

>> at the time this may have all been avoided, but he didn't (ADD was

>> diagnosed although they refused him help). My mom even tried to argue

>> the fact that if you looked at the ingredients, it was obvious they

>> were for glass, but because he said it was for a bomb...What idiots!

>> The saddest part is that people like this are the educators!! They

>> can't even make educated decisions about appropriate punishments!

>>

>>

>>>>

>>>>> **

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> Hi everyone. My son's school just called and told me that they are

>>>>> " highly recommending " that I have a psychological evaluation done on

>>>>> him. They feel that he is presenting behaviors that they " have never

>>>>> seen from all the other autistic children they have worked with. "

>>>>> They said that they are very concerned about these behaviors as they

>>>>> are interfering with his ability to learn. The school psychologist

>>>>> told me that they feel he may have a mood disorder or oppositional

>>>>> defiance disorder, and they really need to know what they are working

>>>>> with. I asked how knowing if he had dual diagnosis would effect his

>>>>> educational plan. She really couldn't answer me clearly. It all

>>>>> seems that they are looking for a legal out to not have to deal with

>>>>> him in public school.

>>>>>

>>>>> Now, I have never put him on any pharmaceuticals, nor do I want

>> him on

>>>>> them (since I have heard hundreds of horror stories). MY feeling is

>>>>> that anyone who evaluates him will not be experienced working with

>>>>> autistic children and the behavioral issues that are part of that

>>>>> diagnosis, and they seem to want to prescribe

>> immediately...everyone -

>>>>> regardless (like banks giving lollipops to children).

>>>>>

>>>>> Any advice would be appreciated.

>>>>>

>>>>> Thanks,

>>>>> Debra

>>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> --

>>>> Terri D. Eagen-Torkko

>>>> Full-time feminist event planner, freelance editor, 24/7 bonus mom

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>

>>

>>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the suggestions. I think you are right about the " time and

place " for this behavior. But one reason he is doing it is to escape

from his world so he is doing it at school to escape everything there

that is bothering him. He knows it is make believe and not real. Well

once he was playing a video game and it was Homer and he was running

over people and I acted shocked when he ran over and old lady and she

went flying through the air, and he said, Oh grandma it's not real. " He

gets real worried if I act like it is, gets kind of confused, looks like

he knows it is make believe better than I do at times. He used to like

" Pirates of the Carribean " and all the characters but got bored with it.

His brother had all the ships and characters and had outgrown them so

gave them all to him.

I got him an real nice Polar Express electric train for Christmas and he

doesn't like it too much. The first time I turned it on the noise scared

him a lot and he begged me to turn it off, since then I have it set up

on the dining room table and when he comes over I turn it on for awhile

and show him that he can run the controls and make it go slow or fast.

And I put some of my village houses around the track and he just says he

wants to blow them up. I was so hoping he would get interested in trains

because when we went to the fair he showed a great interest in this big

model train display they had there and we stood and watched the trains

gong for quite awhile and I told him I would get him one and he seemed

very interested. I was thinking of taking it back as it was expensive,

but guess I will just keep it maybe someday he will start to play with it.

I am amazed at how well he is drawing now, seems to be getting better

all the time. He likes the attention, says he is an " artist " and I say,

" Yes you are! " Everybody praises his pictures.

It helps to talk about this to others who understand. Hope his school

doesn't overreact but I don't really trust them. Sigh.

Carolyn ;o)

Esris wrote:

>

> Wow, this is a lot like me when I was 11-12. I did all these violent

> comics

> and Kid Pix drawings with characters from " The Addams Family " in them. My

> mom practically had a stroke, a ruptured aneurism, and a heart attack

> at the

> same time. Fortunately, I had the insight not to draw them in

> school. But

> my mom was, for some reason, inordinately convinced that I was doing

> so and

> so forbade me to draw them entirely. Of course, I still did them, and just

> didn't show them to her. I am addressing this sort of thing in the

> book I'm

> working on!

>

> I have just jumped into this conversation, so I don't know if you've tried

> my suggestions already, but, what I would do is this:

>

> Set up a meeting with all his teachers. Tell them that you are letting him

> draw whatever he wants at home and that he is still learning about the

> " time

> and place " for things. Is he drawing FICTIONAL characters doing such

> violent

> stuff or REAL people? If it's just fictional, you probably have nothing to

> worry about, especially if he's not hurting anybody. And if that's the

> case,

> remind the teachers of that. Tell them that if they have any concerns,

> they

> can call you, but in the meantime you are trying to help him learn about a

> time and a place for everything. Does he have an audience for these

> drawings

> at home? That is very important, so he doesn't feel like he is being

> inhibited. Perhaps he has relatives, such as cousins, who share his

> sensibilities or sense of humor? Fortunately my cousins were/are like

> that,

> and if my mother had just told me, " These are the kinds of things that you

> do when your cousins come over, not in X situation, " that would have been

> better for me.

>

> He may not get it right away about the " time and place " for everything. It

> may take him several instances of getting in trouble before he gets it.

> That's typical of Asperger's, I think. Maybe instead of just telling him,

> " People might interpret it as a threat, " remind him that sometimes

> teachers

> will freak out and call the police. Do you think saying something that

> extreme would work?

>

> I am actually quite curious to see some of these drawings. Is he good at

> drawing?

>

> JE

>

> On 1/7/12 5:41 PM, " Carolyn " <charper777@...

> <mailto:charper777%40comcast.net>> wrote:

>

> > I am worried about this also as my grandson is so bluntly vocal about

> > things. He has picked up a lot of his vocabulary from movies he watches

> > and has been told not to use this language at school but still he

> > persists. He loves the two movies, " War of the Worlds " right now and I

> > have a little Christmas village and he wants to take it home so he can

> > " blow it up " he said. He spends his days pretending he is a tri-pod and

> > goes about liquidating things. He is copying the movie. And he draws in

> > detail with colored pens and people are getting killed right and left,

> > but this also is in the movie. He drew the whole family pictures for

> > Christmas of these violent scenes.

> >

> > Trouble is he drew one for his teacher with some profanity on it!! She

> > told my daughter she has to " report " it now. I though, Ooooh nooo, they

> > already think he has violent tendencies now a report too! He doesn't

> > like school and can be quite blunt and rude to his classmates. His mom

> > bribed him to go after the Christmas break by saying she would order him

> > a tripod model. So she ordered it but he is getting impatient waiting

> > after a week. He got a model of one of the flying things for Christmas

> > and just love it, flies it all over zapping things and makes all the

> > sound affects, etc.

> >

> > I don't think he is violent at all, he just loves this sort of thing. If

> > he is violent then what are they going to do with Lucas and other

> > creators of such things. He also loves " Star Wars " and dressed as

> > General can't remember his name, Gievious or something, his mom got him

> > the costume. He likes the big mean guys the most. I think this is normal

> > little boy behavior, most kids always loved Darth Vader, but are they

> > labeled as violent. No!

> >

> > It is going to be some ride with this boy and he is only 7 1/2 now in

> > 2nd grade. Can be soooo sweet and polite and nice though when he wants

> > to be. More than a regular kid so tender and compassionate..

> >

> > Carolyn OR ;o)

> >

> >

> > itshotinjt04 wrote:

> >>

> >> This reminds me of when my brother was in high school...My father

> >> worked at a plant that made glass bottles. He would bring home the

> >> paper they used with the formulas on it for us to use the other side.

> >> My brother had some paper with him at school and one of the kids asked

> >> if that was a recipe to make bombs. My brother replied Yes, not

> >> thinking of what the consequences would entail. The other kid reported

> >> him and he was called into the office with my parents. It was treated

> >> as a bomb threat and he was suspended. IF he had a correct diagnosis

> >> at the time this may have all been avoided, but he didn't (ADD was

> >> diagnosed although they refused him help). My mom even tried to argue

> >> the fact that if you looked at the ingredients, it was obvious they

> >> were for glass, but because he said it was for a bomb...What idiots!

> >> The saddest part is that people like this are the educators!! They

> >> can't even make educated decisions about appropriate punishments!

> >>

> >>

> >>>>

> >>>>> **

> >>>>>

> >>>>>

> >>>>> Hi everyone. My son's school just called and told me that they are

> >>>>> " highly recommending " that I have a psychological evaluation done on

> >>>>> him. They feel that he is presenting behaviors that they " have never

> >>>>> seen from all the other autistic children they have worked with. "

> >>>>> They said that they are very concerned about these behaviors as they

> >>>>> are interfering with his ability to learn. The school psychologist

> >>>>> told me that they feel he may have a mood disorder or oppositional

> >>>>> defiance disorder, and they really need to know what they are

> working

> >>>>> with. I asked how knowing if he had dual diagnosis would effect his

> >>>>> educational plan. She really couldn't answer me clearly. It all

> >>>>> seems that they are looking for a legal out to not have to deal with

> >>>>> him in public school.

> >>>>>

> >>>>> Now, I have never put him on any pharmaceuticals, nor do I want

> >> him on

> >>>>> them (since I have heard hundreds of horror stories). MY feeling is

> >>>>> that anyone who evaluates him will not be experienced working with

> >>>>> autistic children and the behavioral issues that are part of that

> >>>>> diagnosis, and they seem to want to prescribe

> >> immediately...everyone -

> >>>>> regardless (like banks giving lollipops to children).

> >>>>>

> >>>>> Any advice would be appreciated.

> >>>>>

> >>>>> Thanks,

> >>>>> Debra

> >>>>>

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>> --

> >>>> Terri D. Eagen-Torkko

> >>>> Full-time feminist event planner, freelance editor, 24/7 bonus mom

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>

> >>

> >>

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Carolyn, can I see the drawings? Because I am really curious.

Carolyn,

The red flag words of " I don't trust them " referring to the school, are really important. Listen to your gut. Is there anyway you can homeschool? The biggest stressors for these kids is the school. 9 times out of 10, when the child is pulled from the traumatic environment, better learning takes place, the child is happier, the child becomes less symptomatic, the child becomes more confident (only if homeschooling is tailored to the child), medications are often discontinued because the child is no longer assaulted with too much stimulus etc. at school.

If people can think back to their own school experience and recognize that today's teacher is vastly less trained and supported re children with autism or other disabilities. The pressure these teachers are under now with " no child left behind " is overwhelming and they are literally under the gun to get the class to perform to state standards. No Child Left Behind, while bringing parents/families to the IEP table, has destroyed the public school system by destroying the freedom of really good teachers to actually teach at the pace a child learns. Really bad teachers are always going to be around, but the really good ones are helpless to teach to the child. The public schools have been getting worse and worse, due to NCLB. The warm,fuzzy,learning place is no more.

Parents/families who can homeschool, will assure that their children, especially those on the spectrum, have a safer and better education. The myth of socialization being lost by homeschooling is a myth. Most homeschoolers do not punish by withholding recess and socialization from their children. Loss of recess and loss of supported/natural socialization are the realities of the public school system now. And " now " is what counts.

Priscilla

>

> Thank you for the suggestions. I think you are right about the " time and

> place " for this behavior. But one reason he is doing it is to escape

> from his world so he is doing it at school to escape everything there

> that is bothering him. He knows it is make believe and not real. Well

> once he was playing a video game and it was Homer and he was running

> over people and I acted shocked when he ran over and old lady and she

> went flying through the air, and he said, Oh grandma it's not real. " He

> gets real worried if I act like it is, gets kind of confused, looks like

> he knows it is make believe better than I do at times. He used to like

> " Pirates of the Carribean " and all the characters but got bored with it.

> His brother had all the ships and characters and had outgrown them so

> gave them all to him.

>

> I got him an real nice Polar Express electric train for Christmas and he

> doesn't like it too much. The first time I turned it on the noise scared

> him a lot and he begged me to turn it off, since then I have it set up

> on the dining room table and when he comes over I turn it on for awhile

> and show him that he can run the controls and make it go slow or fast.

> And I put some of my village houses around the track and he just says he

> wants to blow them up. I was so hoping he would get interested in trains

> because when we went to the fair he showed a great interest in this big

> model train display they had there and we stood and watched the trains

> gong for quite awhile and I told him I would get him one and he seemed

> very interested. I was thinking of taking it back as it was expensive,

> but guess I will just keep it maybe someday he will start to play with it.

>

> I am amazed at how well he is drawing now, seems to be getting better

> all the time. He likes the attention, says he is an " artist " and I say,

> " Yes you are! " Everybody praises his pictures.

>

> It helps to talk about this to others who understand. Hope his school

> doesn't overreact but I don't really trust them. Sigh.

>

> Carolyn ;o)

>

--

“Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies and the baby looked at me.” --Ralph Wiggum, The Simpsons

[Guest guest]

Hi Pricilla, I am starting to think that homeschooling might be a better

option for my grandson, but his mom is on disability, has fibromyalgia

and an alcoholic demanding husband who is home a lot. She doesn't seem

emotionally or physically up to it and looks at school as a break from

the demands. Actually this is the first year actually she has taken any

of her kids to school, I have always done it and the oldest a girl is 14

now. She used to work full time delivering mail and dropped them at my

house at 6:00 a.m each day and didn't get them till twelve hours later.

But now she doesn't go to work anymore.

I was thinking maybe I could do it but I am getting older now and have

my disabled son at home to care for and still do a lot with the kids,

not sure I am up to schooling too.

But it is an idea, and my daughter is getting pretty frustrated taking

him to a school he hates and was asking me about how a person could get

started homeschooling. I told her there must be curriculums you can get,

and she immediately figured it would be expensive.

I think it is something we need to look into, maybe between the two of

us we could do it. Also next year he has to go to a much bigger school

where they have dumped about six small outlying schools to save money,

and it is going to be a mess for all I think.

Any ideas anybody?

Carolyn

P wrote:

>

> Carolyn,

> The red flag words of " I don't trust them " referring to the school,

> are really important. Listen to your gut. Is there anyway you can

> homeschool? The biggest stressors for these kids is the school. 9

> times out of 10, when the child is pulled from the traumatic

> environment, better learning takes place, the child is happier, the

> child becomes less symptomatic, the child becomes more confident (only

> if homeschooling is tailored to the child), medications are often

> discontinued because the child is no longer assaulted with too much

> stimulus etc. at school.

>

> If people can think back to their own school experience and recognize

> that today's teacher is vastly less trained and supported re children

> with autism or other disabilities. The pressure these teachers are

> under now with " no child left behind " is overwhelming and they are

> literally under the gun to get the class to perform to state

> standards. No Child Left Behind, while bringing parents/families to

> the IEP table, has destroyed the public school system by destroying

> the freedom of really good teachers to actually teach at the pace a

> child learns. Really bad teachers are always going to be around, but

> the really good ones are helpless to teach to the child. The public

> schools have been getting worse and worse, due to NCLB. The

> warm,fuzzy,learning place is no more.

>

> Parents/families who can homeschool, will assure that their children,

> especially those on the spectrum, have a safer and better education.

> The myth of socialization being lost by homeschooling is a myth. Most

> homeschoolers do not punish by withholding recess and socialization

> from their children. Loss of recess and loss of supported/natural

> socialization are the realities of the public school system now. And

> " now " is what counts.

> Priscilla

>

>

> >

> > Thank you for the suggestions. I think you are right about the " time

> and

> > place " for this behavior. But one reason he is doing it is to escape

> > from his world so he is doing it at school to escape everything there

> > that is bothering him. He knows it is make believe and not real. Well

> > once he was playing a video game and it was Homer and he was running

> > over people and I acted shocked when he ran over and old lady and she

> > went flying through the air, and he said, Oh grandma it's not real. " He

> > gets real worried if I act like it is, gets kind of confused, looks

> like

> > he knows it is make believe better than I do at times. He used to like

> > " Pirates of the Carribean " and all the characters but got bored with

> it.

> > His brother had all the ships and characters and had outgrown them so

> > gave them all to him.

> >

> > I got him an real nice Polar Express electric train for Christmas

> and he

> > doesn't like it too much. The first time I turned it on the noise

> scared

> > him a lot and he begged me to turn it off, since then I have it set up

> > on the dining room table and when he comes over I turn it on for awhile

> > and show him that he can run the controls and make it go slow or fast.

> > And I put some of my village houses around the track and he just

> says he

> > wants to blow them up. I was so hoping he would get interested in

> trains

> > because when we went to the fair he showed a great interest in this big

> > model train display they had there and we stood and watched the trains

> > gong for quite awhile and I told him I would get him one and he seemed

> > very interested. I was thinking of taking it back as it was expensive,

> > but guess I will just keep it maybe someday he will start to play

> with it.

> >

> > I am amazed at how well he is drawing now, seems to be getting better

> > all the time. He likes the attention, says he is an " artist " and I say,

> > " Yes you are! " Everybody praises his pictures.

> >

> > It helps to talk about this to others who understand. Hope his school

> > doesn't overreact but I don't really trust them. Sigh.

> >

> > Carolyn ;o)

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Oh yes my daughter was asking one day whether I had ever heard of a

child going maybe half day to school and being homeschooled half day.

Has anybody heard of this? He does get upset more when the days got

longer and the weeks longer, for awhile there they got Fridays off and

it was better.

Carolyn

Carolyn wrote:

> Hi Pricilla, I am starting to think that homeschooling might be a

> better option for my grandson, but his mom is on disability, has

> fibromyalgia and an alcoholic demanding husband who is home a lot. She

> doesn't seem emotionally or physically up to it and looks at school as

> a break from the demands. Actually this is the first year actually she

> has taken any of her kids to school, I have always done it and the

> oldest a girl is 14 now. She used to work full time delivering mail

> and dropped them at my house at 6:00 a.m each day and didn't get them

> till twelve hours later. But now she doesn't go to work anymore.

>

> I was thinking maybe I could do it but I am getting older now and have

> my disabled son at home to care for and still do a lot with the kids,

> not sure I am up to schooling too.

>

> But it is an idea, and my daughter is getting pretty frustrated taking

> him to a school he hates and was asking me about how a person could

> get started homeschooling. I told her there must be curriculums you

> can get, and she immediately figured it would be expensive.

>

> I think it is something we need to look into, maybe between the two of

> us we could do it. Also next year he has to go to a much bigger school

> where they have dumped about six small outlying schools to save money,

> and it is going to be a mess for all I think.

>

> Any ideas anybody?

>

> Carolyn

>

> P wrote:

>>

>> Carolyn,

>> The red flag words of " I don't trust them " referring to the school,

>> are really important. Listen to your gut. Is there anyway you can

>> homeschool? The biggest stressors for these kids is the school. 9

>> times out of 10, when the child is pulled from the traumatic

>> environment, better learning takes place, the child is happier, the

>> child becomes less symptomatic, the child becomes more confident

>> (only if homeschooling is tailored to the child), medications are

>> often discontinued because the child is no longer assaulted with too

>> much stimulus etc. at school.

>>

>> If people can think back to their own school experience and recognize

>> that today's teacher is vastly less trained and supported re children

>> with autism or other disabilities. The pressure these teachers are

>> under now with " no child left behind " is overwhelming and they are

>> literally under the gun to get the class to perform to state

>> standards. No Child Left Behind, while bringing parents/families to

>> the IEP table, has destroyed the public school system by destroying

>> the freedom of really good teachers to actually teach at the pace a

>> child learns. Really bad teachers are always going to be around, but

>> the really good ones are helpless to teach to the child. The public

>> schools have been getting worse and worse, due to NCLB. The

>> warm,fuzzy,learning place is no more.

>>

>> Parents/families who can homeschool, will assure that their children,

>> especially those on the spectrum, have a safer and better education.

>> The myth of socialization being lost by homeschooling is a myth. Most

>> homeschoolers do not punish by withholding recess and socialization

>> from their children. Loss of recess and loss of supported/natural

>> socialization are the realities of the public school system now. And

>> " now " is what counts.

>> Priscilla

>>

>>

>> >

>> > Thank you for the suggestions. I think you are right about the

>> " time and

>> > place " for this behavior. But one reason he is doing it is to escape

>> > from his world so he is doing it at school to escape everything there

>> > that is bothering him. He knows it is make believe and not real. Well

>> > once he was playing a video game and it was Homer and he was running

>> > over people and I acted shocked when he ran over and old lady and she

>> > went flying through the air, and he said, Oh grandma it's not

>> real. " He

>> > gets real worried if I act like it is, gets kind of confused, looks

>> like

>> > he knows it is make believe better than I do at times. He used to like

>> > " Pirates of the Carribean " and all the characters but got bored

>> with it.

>> > His brother had all the ships and characters and had outgrown them so

>> > gave them all to him.

>> >

>> > I got him an real nice Polar Express electric train for Christmas

>> and he

>> > doesn't like it too much. The first time I turned it on the noise

>> scared

>> > him a lot and he begged me to turn it off, since then I have it set up

>> > on the dining room table and when he comes over I turn it on for

>> awhile

>> > and show him that he can run the controls and make it go slow or fast.

>> > And I put some of my village houses around the track and he just

>> says he

>> > wants to blow them up. I was so hoping he would get interested in

>> trains

>> > because when we went to the fair he showed a great interest in this

>> big

>> > model train display they had there and we stood and watched the trains

>> > gong for quite awhile and I told him I would get him one and he seemed

>> > very interested. I was thinking of taking it back as it was expensive,

>> > but guess I will just keep it maybe someday he will start to play

>> with it.

>> >

>> > I am amazed at how well he is drawing now, seems to be getting better

>> > all the time. He likes the attention, says he is an " artist " and I

>> say,

>> > " Yes you are! " Everybody praises his pictures.

>> >

>> > It helps to talk about this to others who understand. Hope his school

>> > doesn't overreact but I don't really trust them. Sigh.

>> >

>> > Carolyn ;o)

>> >

>>

>>

>