When Remote Is Better

So, full disclosure: my mileage for most parental and family things has so much variance (how much variance?) ... so much that one can call Ollie-Ollie-Oxen-Free over to me at the extreme range of Autism Lifestyle - that's how far out there I am.

So, the shelter in place as a result of COVID-19 has been - kind of a godsend. My life has SLOWED.

• I am lucky to be able to work from home. 
• I don't have to spend my lunch half hour dashing home to get hime ready for school / established at home until I finish my last couple hours of work. 
• I can flex for meals on-the-fly for us both. 
• I get to see what he is doing for school and assist at times.
• My breaks are in my own garden and it feels like a miracle of peace. 
• I can set up an office and work/take calls on my back deck and nature watch. 
• It feels so healthy. 

I see benefits for James as well:

• The paper in his mouth stimming has almost vanished.
• Escapes to the bathroom are greatly reduced.
• His mornings are more relaxed while getting back onto a schedule because I don't have to wrassle him awake / dressed / breakfasted before getting him on the bus in the mornings.

I give a million kudos to his teacher and support staff at his school. They have been consistently upbeat, accessible, calm, kind, and encouraging. They make our world a better place.

Flexible OT Jam Session

James had a great OT session yesterday.

First of all, let me say that I am thrilled that James has progressed from missing all OT sessions (despite our best efforts) to managing his own school schedule and being ready for the remote OT sessions on Google Chat.

Second, each session is different, with his OT teacher being flexible to accommodate how James' day is going. This keeps James interested.

Today I got to watch some sensory breaks with stretches, breathing, and a sensory brush. His therapist then caught sight of the practice guitar on our kitchen chair, and turned the session (which had been stalling out) into an impromptu play session with guitars. He got James to strum a bit, then played songs and invited James to guess the song that he was playing and to sing along. It was great!

James is still not exercising much (and our heat advisory is not helping that) but this does help get him moving around and shaking things out. It also gives him an opportunity to engage with someone in a playful, back and forth manner, which James loves.

Virtual Talent Show: SIP Edition

Each year, James' school puts on a talent show. I give them all kinds of kudos because those productions are not easy, even without special needs.

As this is our first year with the school, I did not know what to expect. Then there was this shelter in place thing -- how to coordinate the show, view performances ... wow. In the end, it was so worth it.

The kids LOVED it. There was 150% cheering and support for every effort. The event used pre-recorded and live segments, and we all watched on the Chromebooks.

I think it's one of my most favourite school events in the history of my kids' school events, the other being my daughter's amazing and adorable performance as a rainforest porcupine.

 James chose to ... be the announcer for his classroom's contribution. We taped his lines and mailed them to the school. He nailed it - so proud!

PS: This is the first time that James was included in a school production since his one-of-a-kind Third Grade class (as a full-inclusion student), when his wonderful teacher and fabulous aide together got the entire class to perform an ocean-themed musical for parents and the school. He was a lobster for that one. 

Thank you, Anova teachers and staff!!

Vocalization, Education

Today, during a school assignment, James paused to asked me, "what is vocalization?"

"Well," I answered, "it can mean anything from talking (being vocal), to singing, to ..."

"What, Mother?"

"Ululation."

Cue YouTube search, which found us watching this:



Learning can be fundamental!

Thankful Gathering

Want to see what happens when you make a friend at school and you sit together with your friends and families at a school event, where the support and caring are through the roof?

This.

Makes the fight worth it.

Love you to the moon and back, James.


Thank you, Anova!

Developing Stories

Yesterday, James asked me where he would move to and what he would be doing when he grew up. This is the first time I have heard him talk like this and instigate a conversation like this. It is rather exciting for us both to start talking about it. I said he had time to think about it and come up with some plans. I also said he would have a home with me until he is ready.

Because we are looking again at moving. Costs of living are so out of alignment with what salaries are that even renting it too expensive. I'd rather take what money I'd funnel into covering my rent gap into a sustainable living situation. For a while I didn't see how it could happen.

Yesterday I got some good news that I am getting closer to making it happen. For a rare few hours, James and I were both blissfully and completely happy.

And that's okay.

James has been testing the hell out of the new school. I am so happy he is there because not once have they called to have me pick him up. They deal with the situation and are working on gaining James' trust. The messages I get back all consistently state that James is in the right place, they think he's a great kid, and they look forward to having him at their school. Some days it just makes me cry happy tears.

Meanwhile, we've paused ABA because, after a while of it helping, things got stuck in a rut and James started rebelling. He still refuses to bathe and has taken to trying to communicate via humming, because he's afraid if he opens his mouth, hair, or ash, or a bug will get inside. For those same reasons, he resists eating. He is almost 5' 11", so this is not great. A more stable home could help with those anxieties.

Moving is also a goal because the apartments are rough on James. He hates the noise and cursing that comes from the complex's swimming pool outside. And since he got caught in a rock fight some kids were having at the complex a while back, he no longer wants to go outside and walk around.

More as these stories develop ...