Re: wraparound - and starting school in sept?

[Guest guest]

,

I am sorry you are feeling scared and worried about your daughter.

I remember feeling the same way when Greggory started school. I

really didnt know if he was ready for it even the day I took him. Now

I am not the kind of mother who is sad seeing her kids grow up but I

was worried that he couldnt tell me what was happening at school,

good or bad. I am sure if you like the teacher and the placement she

will be fine. Be sure and make some surprise visits too! I am sure

everything will work out just fine.

Jacquie H

> Meeting today with the women that's suppose to be my advocate for

. WOW

> I think we'll battle this one threw on our own. She was very nice

but when

> she was like I'll go with you to your meeting next week I was

like " no that's

> ok. "

>

> I don't want to start problems with the new coordinator for

before I

> even meet her. I still need these contacts so that I can TRY to

get services

> paid for for the month of August since we miss the cut off for

summer school.

>

> In September she is suppose to start but honestly I don't know if I

can do

> it. She's such a happy child how can I send her to school? She

can't even

> talk - she says alot but most of it doesn't make sense. I am so

frightened.

> I don't know if I can do this... how will I know what she does all

day? It

> wasn't suppose to be like this. She is doing so well... why do they

have to

> change things?

>

> We played in the sandbox yesterday and she only tried to eat sand

once. We

> built castles and smushed them and shoveled sand. Why do I have to

think

> about these things now?

>

> Damn it... wendy g

[Guest guest]

I don't really know what to say to this. I think

will benefit from school because we know that

the earlier our kids get help the better their

possibilities. But I also know how hard it is. Ebony

started school two weeks after her third birthday and

for the first year she did not take the bus cause I

was too scared. I wanted to have that everyday

contact with her environment. This year she started

to take the special ed van and it has been super. She

loves it. It is hard to let go of being the center of

their universe 24/7, but it is for their benefit that

we do it.

BTW, I hope your meeting goes well!

Tamara

--- myfishruleWJG@... wrote:

> Meeting today with the women that's suppose to be my

> advocate for . WOW

> I think we'll battle this one threw on our own. She

> was very nice but when

> she was like I'll go with you to your meeting next

> week I was like " no that's

> ok. "

>

> I don't want to start problems with the new

> coordinator for before I

> even meet her. I still need these contacts so that

> I can TRY to get services

> paid for for the month of August since we miss the

> cut off for summer school.

>

> In September she is suppose to start but honestly I

> don't know if I can do

> it. She's such a happy child how can I send her to

> school? She can't even

> talk - she says alot but most of it doesn't make

> sense. I am so frightened.

> I don't know if I can do this... how will I know

> what she does all day? It

> wasn't suppose to be like this. She is doing so

> well... why do they have to

> change things?

>

> We played in the sandbox yesterday and she only

> tried to eat sand once. We

> built castles and smushed them and shoveled sand.

> Why do I have to think

> about these things now?

>

> Damn it... wendy g

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> Meeting today with the women that's suppose to be my advocate for .

WOW

> I think we'll battle this one threw on our own. She was very nice but

when

> she was like I'll go with you to your meeting next week I was like " no

that's

> ok. "

I don't understand. Why would you not want her there with you?

I am assuming this is someone like a case manager? Taking her along is not

confrontational, it's wise, especially when you are not sure of what you are

doing or wanting....

> In September she is suppose to start but honestly I don't know if I can do

> it. She's such a happy child how can I send her to school? She can't even

> talk - she says alot but most of it doesn't make sense.

THAT is precisely way.

Happiness has nothing to do with school. My girls are always happy at home,

but if it makes you feel any better - - they are even happier now than

before school, which is hard to believe since they were always high-spirited

and cheery.

> I am so frightened.

> I don't know if I can do this... how will I know what she does all day? It

> wasn't suppose to be like this. She is doing so well... why do they have

to

> change things?

Well... I guess you have to ask yourself what YOU hope to gain by sending

her to school. If it's nothing - then you should reconsider. Speech?

Learning? Friends? Time away from you, from home? If there is an answer,

even one, then stick to your guns.

>

> We played in the sandbox yesterday and she only tried to eat sand once.

We

> built castles and smushed them and shoveled sand. Why do I have to think

> about these things now?

I agree that it's not fair.

But I maintain that you are extremely lucky, as I have been also, to not be

worrying about why you CANNOT get your child into any program. Having one

to put her in, and being scared is a whole whopping lot better than having

no program that the state will fund, and being hopeless and terrified.

Hang in there. You will adjust QUICKLY once she is there. In the meantime,

enjoy your days of spending full days with her!!!

Grace

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/27/2002 10:33:47 PM Eastern Standard Time,

jacquie_harris@... writes:

> Be sure and make some surprise visits too!

So I'm allowed to do that? No one is giving me any details. Ideal situation

would be a classroom with children with disabilities not necessarily autistic

but I don't even know if that is available. Guess I'll have to wait until

next week. Thanks for listening!

G

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/27/2002 10:46:13 PM Eastern Standard Time,

tamara_b73@... writes:

> . Ebony started school two weeks after her third birthday and

> for the first year she did not take the bus cause I was too scared.

thanks for saying that Tamera cause I know I just couldn't put her on a bus

and I've already told my husband I'm driving her. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

G

[Guest guest]

> In September she is suppose to start but honestly I don't know if I can do

> it. She's such a happy child how can I send her to school? She can't even

> talk - she says alot but most of it doesn't make sense.

That's why. The peer support and the teacher support can only help her aquire

language!

What sort of school is it? If it's an inclusive placement with NT kids, they

are GREAT models for speech and behaviour. If it's an autism placement,

everyone on staff is uniquely qualified to meet her needs.

I am so frightened.

> I don't know if I can do this... how will I know what she does all day? It

> wasn't suppose to be like this. She is doing so well... why do they have to

> change things?

Because everything changes. (((hugs))) Unfortunately, that's life. :-( How

will you know what she does all day? There are a few ways. One, you get an IEP

and specify you want a communication book. In a communication book, the

teachers or aide write down what she did during the day, what she had problems

with, what she enjoyed... Two, you drop in and observe from time to time. If

having you there disrupts her day (as my presence does to ) then you observe

from a secret hiding place.

She IS doing well -- and that's why I'd bet anything that school will be a good

thing. It will be hard at first, no question; it's the biggest transition she

will have faced so far in her life. But that's normal for our kids.

It's a sad truth that we can't keep them sheltered forever. They have to go out

and face the world some time. And in my opinion (just mine - I don't pretend to

speak for anyone else), with autistic kids, the sooner the better. The sooner

they get out there and start coping on their own, away from us, the better off

they'll be in the long run.

In my experience, sending to school at 3 yrs was the best choice we could

have made. His speech blossomed, his sensory issues decreased, and he became

more tolerant of the humans around him. Not to mention the fact that it gave

me, at first, 5 hours a week to myself to rest and regroup and start doing

something for myself so that I would be fresher and more involved when he was

home.

School is still many months off for . Try not to get too upset about it

now. You never know how differently you'll feel in August -- and, as always, if

it doesn't work, you CAN take her out. There's no law that says you can't.

I really believe though when it comes to school -- nothing ventured, nothing

gained.

(((hugs)))

Jacquie

(who is obviously in favour of school, but hopes she doesn't sound toooooo

pushy.....)

[Guest guest]

>

> thanks for saying that Tamera cause I know I just couldn't put her on a

bus

> and I've already told my husband I'm driving her. THANK YOU THANK

YOU!!!!!

I'm STILL driving Putter after over two years. Maybe next year I will

entrust my precious little Putter to the bus.

Of course, Putter loves buses and I am sure he would be delighted to ride

one.

Salli

[Guest guest]

,

they may tell you they dont like them and they would rather you

call first and maybe they have a decent reason like not wanting to

disrupt the class but I always have a bad feeling about that. You

should have the right to stop by anytime you want to. I would make a

pest of myself but with Alec's class I would stop by up tio 3 times a

weeks. They never cared and that was great. I just wanted to see what

he was doing in class as he cant tell me.

Jacquie H

> In a message dated 2/27/2002 10:33:47 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> jacquie_harris@n... writes:

>

>

> > Be sure and make some surprise visits too!

>

> So I'm allowed to do that? No one is giving me any details. Ideal

situation

> would be a classroom with children with disabilities not

necessarily autistic

> but I don't even know if that is available. Guess I'll have to

wait until

> next week. Thanks for listening!

>

> G

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>From: myfishruleWJG@...

>In September she is suppose to start but honestly I don't know if I can do

>it. She's such a happy child how can I send her to school? She can't even

>talk - she says alot but most of it doesn't make sense. I am so

>frightened.

>I don't know if I can do this... how will I know what she does all day? It

>wasn't suppose to be like this. She is doing so well... why do they have to

>change things?

I do know how you feel! It is such a hard thing, sending them to school for

the first time. Kep started 1 month after his third bday and I really

wasn't sure I wanted to do it either. Luckily, it all happened so fast, I

didn't have time to think about it much. What kind of program is it? I

know it will be hard, but you have to give it a try. School could be a real

boost, help her language, teach her some good social skills, etc. I can't

imagine where Kep would be right now if we hadn't had school. True, he was

miserable with the change for a couple of weeks, but then began to truly

love school! Once it became a part of his routine, it was much easier. I

also drove Kep to and from school for the first year. He now rides the bus

and absolutely loves it. A couple of times we missed the bus and I had to

take him and he was completely inconsolable!

Honestly, if she is a happy child now, she will continue to be with school.

If not, take her out. We are conditioned from early on not to quit, but

really, if it doesn't work, just remove her from school. I just think it is

too important to not try! You've got plenty of time to prepare yourself for

the change. Think of it as a good thing--time to yourself! Also, make sure

you request a communication book at the IEP. You could even go so far as to

request exactly what types of things you want written in it. You could make

a check sheet for the teacher to fill out every day, etc.

Just relax and hold on to your hat! Hopefully this is going to be a

wonderful change for her!

Amy H--in Michigan

Kepler 4 1/2 ASD and Bethany 6 NT

" Harmony breeds ignorance. It is the dissonant chords of life that lead us

to wisdom. " ~me

_________________________________________________________________

Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

[Guest guest]

,

You do whatever makes you feel better..it's really

really hard to think about your baby going to

school..and it's totally natural to be worried. Lots

of parents drive the kids to and from school!

I was so terrified when started school around 3

weeks before his third birthday...we did let him take

the bus on the third day..I kept calling the bus

company to make sure he was on his way home..they were

really nice and kept assuring me he was fine. I also

called the school the whole week to make sure he was

there!

Now, at age 5 1/2, loves school..and he loves

riding on his bus

When he was in preschool, we went to pick him up one

day because we didn't want to wait for the bus because

we were going away for the weekend..he had a fit..he

tried to get on his bus when he saw his bus driver and

matron!

I am positive that the school would not object to

having you visit!

And, once you get used to having at school..you

will enjoy the time you have to yourself! And, you

will see her blossom!

Hugs,

Mimi

--- myfishruleWJG@... wrote:

> In a message dated 2/27/2002 10:46:13 PM Eastern

> Standard Time,

> tamara_b73@... writes:

>

>

> > . Ebony started school two weeks after her third

> birthday and

> > for the first year she did not take the bus cause

> I was too scared.

>

> thanks for saying that Tamera cause I know I just

> couldn't put her on a bus

> and I've already told my husband I'm driving her.

> THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

>

> G

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

__________________________________________________