Any parents with disabled/neurodivergent kids fancy joining a friendly, supportive back to school thread?

[BoogleMcGroogle]

We aren't really in countdown mode as DS has been attending two days a week for a few weeks, but it's still a big thing here. He's due in on Thursday too this week and is working through the dissonance of being massively excited to be allowed to wear his Denis the Menace top for World Book Day, while also still working on the premise that 'I only go to school two days a week'. I'm back to work this week too and so I think the full 5-day experience next week is going to be quite a shock for all of us!

DS has ADHD (and some other needs) and we are working on helping him to be more independent. I've already made him two 'getting ready' checklists, both of which he has lost somewhere between his room and the kitchen. On the plus side, he has committed to now being a mint (not flavourless) toothpaste user.

Waves to other ND parents and children out there - both of mine are looking forward to back to school with trepidation but I think they both miss some of the social aspects. They won't miss online teaching - they much preferred our homebrew/twinkl last year.

DS (9, Y5, inattentive ADHD) is looking forward to school but we and teacher are expecting some adjustment issues, like getting back his confidence to try things and take part which he'd just been working on and improving last term. Also probable meltdowns dealing with social interaction/general frustration. We'll be reminding him to give things and go and not to worry about being wrong. Good luck everyone!

Hi. I've got 5 dc's in year 10, 8, 5, 3 and 2. dc3 is nt, dc's 1, 2 and 5 have autism and dc4 has moderate learning difficulties.

Dc5 doesn't want to go back, dc2 isn't sure and the others are eagerly counting down the days. I'm looking forward to being able to spend a bit of time with dh without the dc and also looking forward to the end of trying to teach maths. I'm nervous about how they will get on though. Dc4's ehcp application goes to panel this week too so I'm nervous about that.

Hi all. Ds is 6 and has autism, he won’t understand me saying he is going back next week, but he knows when he puts his school jumper on it means the bus is coming to pick him up. Luckily he loves going, I’m hoping the break hasn’t put him off it 😬

That's a good idea to liaise with his teachers. I think that I might have a chat with his class teacher (she's not been teaching the 'lockdown' class). He's generally had good days (particularly proud of convincing the supply teacher he had a different name yesterday...) but we have to have a meltdown every morning before he decides it's okay to go to school. When everyone needs to get to school/work, that will be exhausting! DS has started to seem more bothered about social interaction this year. He struggles to cope with conflict, even if he's not directly involved and he expresses this in not too helpful ways.

Walkers will he respond to a social story? School might have one they can send (or there are lots on Twinkl). DS is older and not diagnosed with autism but I'm considering using them for difficult situations. Just to structure his thinking a bit.

Hi all :-) My boy is in yr 7 and has severe ADHD and GAD along with other learning difficulties. He's not particularly academic but has enjoyed school and is looking forward to being back in and being able to socialise again. He's also feeling massively anxious about everything, in particular the mask wearing and LF testing. I'm not sure how we are going to deal with that TBH. Teaching him at home has also been a real eye-opener in terms of how much his condition affects him. He really can't concentrate at all and has such a poor short term memory. He really does try through and gets very worried that he's going to get it wrong - it's heartbreaking.

Hi, my DS has a fairly new ASD/ADHD diagnosis. He’s in Y3 and struggles with friendships so he’s looking forward to seeing his couple of friends again.
Yes to trying to get a morning routine, but even with a chart on his wall, he’s so distracted he forgets to look at it...

Hi all
My DD is 13 so in S2 (we are in Scotland), it's still up in the air about what going back might look like for the s1-3 year groups, back for some time before Easter but no idea how much.

DD has autism, school have accepted a private diagnosis while we sit on the CAMHS waiting list (only 18 months so far [hmn])

DD's autism masks a lot at school, but shows in high anxiety. She is already saying she doesn't want to go back. The school offered her a place during lockdown, but she just wouldn't go.

Rather dreading the return because I know her anxiety will be incredibly high, but at the same time she's not engaging with the school online so I can see her slipping behind more every day

Did no one else take up the offer of a place for "vulnerable" children? Both mine have been in throughout.

No he doesn’t respond to that just yet Boogle, school were working on introducing it just before the recent lockdown (he only started at his special school in September). He’s very laid back and happy, he just has a very limited attention span unfortunately.
My son wasn’t offered a place at his special school luckynumber.

DS's needs are marked enough to be considered vulnerable I'd imagine - never occured to me really as we were managing OK at home. He's started meds since October and they seem to have helped a lot - he's much more able to stay on task once he gets started, but the getting started can be an issue! He still dashes off the work in a fairly cursory way, but at least it's something.

luckynumber we chose not to take up a place for vulnerable children until earlier this month, just because there were so few children in. I'm a trained teacher so, in theory, should have been able to manage and, by and large, it's been okay (until I ask him to pick up a pencil!). We've had a nice experience at home, but he needed the social interaction during this lockdown (and we needed to get some work done!) and so he's been part-time. Lots of children with additional needs haven't had this option because they don't have an EHCP, but I know it's been a lifeline to some parents.

@luckynumber my DS was offered a place at school as a vulnerable child, however we decided not to take it as effectively he would have still been doing the same online work, just sat in the same classroom all day. At least at home he can fidget around as much as he needs to, and I can support him with things he needs extra help with. The school have been very good and also have sent some additional work home so that he can complete this instead when online learning becomes too much.

I would have taken the place, but it sent DD's anxiety through the roof so we had to drop it as a subject of discussion

My DS(5) is borderline ASD and has struggled with his concentration at home. Getting him to sit and write is like pulling teeth!! I've been working on various strategies but DS2 needs help too, and the house is a state, and things get worse and we all get more stressed...

He was brilliant at school last term, much better than I thought he'd be. Really hoping he will fit back in and enjoy seeing his friends again, but all the COVID measures can send him into a flap, so we will have to wait and see!