Another school year has begun and so far so good. All four of my little monkeys are in school this year, meaning I should have more free time to get things done. In reality it means I make 5 trips to and from school a day, spend 2hrs a night helping with homework, and at least 2 hours a week contacting teachers & staff at the schools. Although both schools completely dropped the ball again and were not prepared for any of my 3 boys' needs, they have all been quick to assist when asked.
My oldest started 8th grade this year and is now officially taller than me. At age 13 he is 5' 9.5" and wearing size 11 shoes. Unfortunately not many companies make men's jeans in size 27x34! He is still struggling in school with finding friends, controlling his tics, and passing English & Social Studies. But he is becoming more comfortable with himself, making social choices on his own, recognizing voice inflection (and even commenting on it!!).
Child number two is doing amazingly well this year. I had pulled him out of public school last February because his OCD and sensory problems were leading to depression. We had a wonderful time homeschooling together but I knew he needed to be able to prove to himself that he could be okay in school. He had a relaxed summer, tried some antidepressants that didn't work as well as we'd hoped, and began managing his own mental health very well. Once school started he made friends with a new student that lives only 3 doors away and has Asperger's just like my oldest. The two boys are now the best of friends. It is so great to see him happy!!
Little man number three is also back in school and has even gone so far as to say he likes his teacher. With him being a very bored second grader last year we decided to put him in a 3rd/4th comination class to insure he was challenged. He's even surprised us and gone into the building with his class, not complaining at all about the sensory things that were such a challenge last year. We were also blessed that one of his best friends is in the class too, a sweet little girl that is wonderful at directing him when he gets panicked or looses focus. I hope we can keep this girl around for a long time! :)
My princess started Kindergarten and can hardly contain her excitement. She gets to leave with brothers in the morning and come home at lunch time. If only I could get her to take a nap I think her enthusiasm would last a little longer in the day. She has become obsessed with writing notes to everyone in the family, hopefully her new found love of letters will last.
I really think that having a calm summer helped us make a smooth transition back into school. They took two weeks of swim lessons early in July, but otherwise we were home just hanging out and having fun together. I'm trying to find ways to be at the school helping out more this year also, which will help me better know what struggles they are having and find ways to assist them. My one goal is that they will all be able to understand and function in the world around them without loosing their own identity or knowledge of their self worth. As a mother, that's all I can hope for.
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