When Dancing Goes Bad

Found this on Sheri Venner's site

I am borrowing this image tonight. I really need it. It's been a stinker of a day on all counts.

The kind that makes you feel like you feel like you are under constantly attack, and to cry would be fatal. Because you have to go on. But not good things keep happening.

Definitely the phone call from James' school to come quick, there was a situation with him in the bathroom was a tough one to get. Turns out he was dancing there, sans pants, socks, or shoes, and singing lalalalala at the top of his voice, refusing to come out. Thank heavens his undies were still on. And this is a new one. It's his second big melt-down in a week.

My lunch hour went to flying to the school, getting him to calm down and come out (along with his Dad, who brought him clean pants). James went home with his Dad and I stayed behind to try and figure out what the heck happened and brainstorm plans to head off/deal with similar situations. We had some good ideas. More breaks, in essence, until he settled better into the new grade/school year routines. And options for working in a quieter, pull-out room. Also, more extra clothes in his backpack.

He has a really great team working with him. I hope we can get him back on track. I know he did not enjoy the washing he got in the tub tonight. I made sure he understood it was because he spent time in the bathroom at school, and that his hair was washed because he also (I was told) laid down on the boys' bathroom floor and refused to get up. Oh my goddess.

At bedtime, he kept telling me about his saga in the bathroom. He still hasn't told me why he did it. I don't know if he can. I told him places for dancing at school included the playground, parties, and the O/T room. They did not include the classroom or the bathrooms. I hope he heard this.

And no, his homework did not all get done. He did get dinner, cleaned up, and into bed on time. And tomorrow is another day.

The incident today at school is just one of several hard things I had to deal with today. I am not going into the others here.  Suffice to say I like this quote from Winston Churchill:
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Also, the quote from Ursula LeGuin's The Lathe of Heaven:
"To let understanding stop at what cannot be understoof is a high attainment. Those who cannot do it will be destroyed on the lathe of heaven."  - Chuang Tzu

It Must Be School Time Again ...

After work meetings across town, checkbook out.

Tectonic plates of the Earth spread out on the kitchen table, and evening dates with math and spelling.

New levels of story books being checked out of the library.

Stricter bedtimes.

Communication logs to read and sign.

French toast for breakfast.

No iPad until mid-afternoon.

Sneakers on feet.

Deep breathing as the morning commute just hit the stress jackpot of more drivers on the road combined with frequent traffic stops as construction zones start dirt-hauling convoys across major roadways.

Later and later sunrises over the back fence, under the leaves of the waving grapevines.

Tree-lined avenues' fading green; living tunnels, with ceiling and walls alight with gold.

Wistful-looking sunsets, souvenirs of the summer that was.

We've already started counting the days until Christmas.

Magic Marker Monday: Picto Name

We've seen letters like these before, when James was in a mainstream preschool in the afternoons. This time he was able to do more colouring himself, and work on cutting and pasting the letters himself.

A very festive project from summer school!

For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own, visit 
5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.

                                    
  

Homework Duty Divided

One very nice dividend of James' Dad working closer to home: now we can share homework duty!

It was sweet to hear James read to his Dad from the big purple chair. He did a great job too. Then they did math card drills. I got a set each of addition and subtraction cards from the Dollar Store this summer. I have a feeling, though, that he prefers the cards his aide made for him.

His reading homework.

I used the microwave timer to make sure they hit the allotted minutes of work. I was in the kitchen, filling out forms. Ye gods and little fishes, such a lot of paperwork for parents!

I'll get my turn of reading and addition math flash cards at bedtime. Piece of cake.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: River Birds

I took these pictures at the beginning of summer, during a weekend on the River. James and I hung out on the deck, enjoying the calm summer morning and watching our aviary visitors across the way.

A family of egrets: parents and well-grown offspring

The ducks accompanied the egrets as they moved upstream. 

Enter a great blue heron, stage left.

They all slowly foraged their way upstream.

Such a relaxing way to start the day!


For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

First Day, of the Third Grade

Well James has started back to school. Not our best start, but he's in a great classroom with an awesome aide, so I have a good feeling about this year.

“Life is about not knowing, having
to change, taking the moment and
making the best of it"

No back to school pictures today, as the sinus infection hasn't quite left yet and anxiety had him literally twisting with nerves. Once he saw the kids (girls, really) in his class, he perked up. One of his previous classmates greeted him with a "Hi, James!" and a big smile. She's one of his favourite people, so I know that helped.

His aide reports he did a lot of testing behaviours with her, before settling down to classroom routine. They did flash cards, reading, and writing. Thank you!

I was a bit frazzled myself. The morning commutes go through 3 of the 4 construction projects currently in full swing. We were stopped to allow sanding of a road and cleanup from a crash and new parents froze at intersections. Thank goodness his sister got to school on time, James' school expected first day delays, and I'd let work know I'd be in late.

I did pick him up early today so he could get some extra rest, and he was definitely happier than the past few days. I saw a few side looks too from some kids who are new to James and the noises he can make. It was the "weirdo!" look. It's always something, isn't it?

Looking forward to a much better year than last.

Special Needs Ryan Gosling Returns to Friday/Sunday!

Oh Ryan, How I've missed seeing you at Sunday's on Fridays. So happy to see you again!

Oh thank heaven. The meltdowns were getting awful.

Did he just say "allons-y" or was it "Geronimo"?

Hey Girl, want to enjoy a creative way to vent some stress and smile? Head on over to Sunday's site, grab the photo of the week, create, and share: