The Four S's (School, Schedules, Scissors, and Screams) (Journal#35)

And so the week started with S's and continues...

S #1- SCHOOL!!!!!!!!! Sam's first day of school was Monday. We have been preparing and preparing. Some days he likes, and others, well... not so much. The first big change went much better than expected, and that was the switch from the yellow school bus last year, to a white van this year. I was getting nervous when it didn't arrive at the scheduled time, but it was the first day of runs for them with the special education children. It came 10 minutes late, which isn't that bad, but they ask you to be ready and waiting 10 minutes early, so really we had been waiting 20 minutes with a very anxious Sam. He boarded great, and of course "scrapbooker" mom did not get any pics yet (left camera on vacation) and my camera phone was dead (typical luck for me). It was super funny when he got home, because he did the same things as usual from all last year. It wasn't even like there was a summer break.

Shoes off...coat off...backpack thrown on bench...run upstairs as fast as he can to see what is on the table for lunch (no words, just down to business)!!

S #2- Schedules!!! So I am really going to try and be good and stick to a schedule and our home program better than last year. He really does well when we use his PECS schedule.

Sam excited about the schedule? Not so much.

S #3- Scissors!!! So...me sticking with the schedule, we work in some of our home OT stuff. The real scoop is that OT is ALL home programming now. Our insurance doesn't cover everything for that right now, so we are done until it allows us to go back for a re-evaluation in 6 months. So we do our little cutting activity, and it just seems to be going backwards. He used to required me to draw a line from the edge of the paper to the object needing cut, but he doesn't anymore, so that is good....but for almost 5, and kindergarten next year, and me TRYING not to compare him to his NT brother, it still makes me wish I could help him get up to speed a little more. But it is all in his time...and that is okay. He worked sooooooo hard cutting and then gluing them on with his little glue swab. A cool thing he finally did today for the first time was to at least follow the dots I made on paper of S for Sam. He has been working on this for over a year. I wonder if I should push and add the A and M!!!

S #4- Screams!!! The little dinosaur scream has been working overtime. We are by no means stressed by his melt downs. We know he is going through a bit 0f a transition time. This morning, Brent was home to help get the boys ready for school. As much as dad tried to help get him dressed, Sam refused.

Whatever piece of clothing that Brent would put on....

Sam would rip off......

He would then scream, climb up on his bed, and literally climb his wall in the corner and curl up(there is a ledge).

After clothes being ripped off, doors being kicked, dad had done his best. And...we could not let him go to school dressed in his birthday suit...so mom caved.

I shared a laugh with my online friend THISMOM.com today about our ASD kids and their rituals and routines.

And...this is one of Sam's rituals.

ONLY mom dresses me!!!!!!!

So, we are living the 4 S's, and actually loving them all. Keep your fingers crossed that I can keep a schedule and get our life back on one as well!!!!