 Posted 7/21/2008 12:37:02 PM
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Braxton will be starting school in September and I'm terrified of how he's going to deal. Would love to find some other parents that are going through or have been through similar experiences. I have questions about the IEP, and the special Ed teacher that will be working with him.
I'm afraid he's going to be teased by the other kids in the school for not talking properly. etc... kids are soo mean!!
Jodi
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Posted 7/22/2008 9:29:39 PM
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| Hi Jodi. I'm so sorry that you're terrified and feel for you. I wish we lived in the same town so my son and your son could be buddies.  Is there any program like Big Bro Big Sis where one can match up kids with special needs and those who don't have special needs? Keep us updated on your son's progress. Hugs to you. Lisa
Lisa Tabachnick Hotta
Online Editor
lisah@parentscanada.com
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Posted 7/24/2008 1:40:13 PM
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Hi Jodi,
My name is Amy. I have a daughter with Autism and mild CP, and last year I faced all those same fears when she went into junior kindergarten. Certainly there were some challenges, but all in all it was not that bad. My best advice is to keep in close contact with the teacher (my daughter's teacher and I spoke almost every day) volunteer in the classroom if you get a chance so you can see what goes on there, and be prepared to fight for what your child needs. Not everyone on the administrative level is always as co-operative as we might hope, especially when special needs kids are so easily reduced to dollars being taken out of the budget. And just make sure to hug your kid everyday so that he knows you adore him when the rest of the world seems to be picking on him.
Is your son going into JK? My understanding is that they don't do official IEPs until grade one, and a full and complete psychoeducational assessment must be done before that process can begin...but that could just have been my daughter's school trying to shirk the extra work.
We're in Nova Scotia now, so the system is a little different, and once again, I'm terrified of the start of school. New system, new teachers, new kids. Eeek. I just keep telling myself that it can't possibly go as badly as my imagination would lead me to believe. Children - especially the special needs kids I've encountered - can be extraordinarily positive and resilient. It's us parents who need to fend off all those fears!
Keep us posted on how it goes. Best of luck.
Amy
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Posted 7/25/2008 9:30:56 AM
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Thanks soo much for your advice and confidence Amy. I am unclear really about all the lingo right now. I had one case conference and there were soo many people there asking soo many questions, giving me soo much advice that I'm not sure it all sank in. Maybe it isn't until grade 1, but for some reason I thought it was jk./sk One of the questions that I remember asking was that if he didn't meet all the required goals would they hold him back until he did?? That's when we discussed the IEP. I will be asking more questions the week before he actually starts school. I plan on bringing him over to the school a few times to see the classroom, meet the teacher yet again, hopefully the Special Ed teacher will be there so that we can meet him/her.
I'm sure your right about parent fears and they are really ours to get over, chances are Braxton is going to get along fine and I'm just being a worry wart.
I have my boxing gloves ready but hoping that I'm not going to have to fight too much. But totally willing to!! I've pretty much been fighting for him since he was a year old. No one believed me that anything was wrong. I'm glad I went with my gut feeling and didn't just accept that I was over reacting.
Jodi
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Posted 7/25/2008 12:09:34 PM
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Good for you Jodi. Keep those boxing gloves in your purse, as you'll never know when you might need to haul 'em out.
I was also pegged as an over-reacting mother more than once. It does come as a bit of a relief to know that you're not paranoid and your gut can indeed be trusted, especially with people around you telling you to 'relax, your child is fine' or, as was suggested to me by someone at my child's school, that the only issue was her 'un-cooperativeness and ill temperament.' My gloves came out that day, let me tell you.
You'll catch up on all the special needs school related lingo fast enough. I'd also say don't be afraid to ask for clarifications, or ask your own questions. Educators, like any professionals, do tend to get caught up in their own jargon and don't always realize that parents might not know their IEPs from their IPRCs, or their EAs from their SNAs from their MARTs.
Is your son doing half day every day, or full day a few times a week? We had just mornings last year, but now it will be a full day, everyday. Great for me to get things done (I hope), but I foresee a sharp increase in afterschool meltdowns for at least the first few weeks because my daughter really struggles to hold it together when she is tired.
What exactly does global delay mean and entail? I've heard the term many times, but never really had it explained...so I'll take my own advice and ask!
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Posted 7/25/2008 10:54:23 PM
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I had to chuckle after reading your comment, "parents might not know their IEPs from their IPRCs, or their EAs from their SNAs from their MARTs." That is exactly how I feel. They speak in this foriegn language where I'm constantly saying, "The IE.. what the what?"
To answer you question Global Developmental Delay is basically a delay in any/all areas of development. For Braxton it's his speech, receptive language, and fine motor skills.
The positive side to all of it is that he has been diagnosed as Delayed not disordered. That's a bonus, in the sense that they have every reason to believe that one day he may catch up to his peers.
At this point I have confidence in him to be able to do the full days every other day. We have started preparing him, he's been going to daycare 3 days a week for full days, since January. He is doing very well now. My only concern is that he is a napper. He still sleeps for about 2 sometimes 3 hours in the afternoon. So I imagine he's going to be a tired boy.
Jodi
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Posted 9/2/2008 3:53:47 PM
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Posted 9/3/2008 9:06:44 AM
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Braxton's first day of school was today. He's A day's.
Drop off was good, until he asked if we could go home now. I told him Mommy was going to go, but he had to stay with Mrs. James.
He was good with that. Gave hugs and kisses and off I went as he helped his teacher meet and greet the other children off the school buses.
I pick him up at 3:10!! So I'll see how he made out.
I'm soo nervous for him!!
Jodi
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Posted 9/17/2008 8:12:19 AM
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Braxton's first week of school has gone by great. He seems to really like it. If only he could stay awake long enough. He falls asleep in class the teacher says.
I'm going to try putting him to bed earlier maybe, sometimes he doesn't go to bed until 9pm and wakes around 7:30 usually. My goal for him to be in bed is 8pm but....
With me dealing with this "morning" sickness. All day nausea, my dh has been putting him to bed and it's frustrating because I'm laying in bed and I keep looking at the time thinking he needs to be in bed now!! I'll have a chat with dh tonight and try and get him on the same page as myself.
Jodi
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Posted 10/17/2008 8:54:38 AM
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| Hi, Jodi. How's Braxton doing at school these days? Enjoying it? Making friends? I'm also wondering how he feels about having a new brother or sister. Is he excited? And, how are you feeling? I hope that nausea has now passed for you. Keep us updated.
Lisa Tabachnick Hotta
Online Editor
lisah@parentscanada.com
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