Half Term SEN Parents Support Group

[mumofoneAloneandwell]

Dd(6) who has autism and is non verbal had today had an average day

one meltdown over her hands being sticky after she STUCK THEM IN ICING?! 😂🙆‍♀️

no desire to play with toys with mummy, but happily made cupcakes. Wee weeing on the carpet despite being able to tell me when she needs the toilet (says toilet)

how are you coping? Just 7 days left 😂

I hear you today wasent too bad my son.is 15 severely autistic non verbal etc ,he just makes a constant mess
He's got holiday club on Thursday so thsts something.

Both mine have ASD. Today has been ok but one just cannot entertain himself at all and they've both just argued all day.

Oh god thank god I've found this.
We had a awful day today. My youngest two just can't be together without destroying the house or trying to hurt/kill eachother. My youngest is in to shouting and screeching at the moment.
I'm touched out and overstimulated whilst simultaneously bored out my mind.
They all have different needs so there's always atleast two unhappy. There is not one activity they can all do. I can't leave the house for one to to blow off steam when the other one desperately needs to stay home for down time.

I've cried a lot today. Mostly with pure frustration that there is so little help or support.

I'm going to have to look at some form or childcare for the next school holiday but I have no clue what would work/exists we always draw a blank hence being stuck all together this time.
There is zero sen childcare.

@x2boys i imagine you’re counting the days down til Thursday just for a little you time? Will you get to relax when he’s there? How does he cope with the change of routine?

@CanYouHearYourself how old are they? Gosh I can imagine just the sound of constant arguments must give you a headache!

@MightyGoldBear ❤️💐 to you, it sounds tough girl - do you already have a disability social worker? If not, I am looking into Getting one for my dd so wil report back

Are you a solo parent like me?

how old are they? Could you leave one at home for a short period or is it just impossible? x

He's really good with change and its a special needs club at his special school ( although not run by school staff)
We do have a good package of respite now ( it took years though) including 4 over nights a month
But non over half term unfortunately.

Ds is ten, struggles with busy places. We played mini golf today and unfortunately it was busy (should have known!) so there was a couple of meltdowns.
Tomorrow we are going to a Sen science activity which should be good. Weds his Sen youth club which he loves. Thursday I’m at work so dh will have him. Friday getting his haircut so probably extra screen time that day.

I have 4 autistic children and LOVE the half term! Wish it was longer

Oof can relate heavy to this one. Thanks for being so honest! Today was a good day, we stayed in, played on the slide indoors, built forts, played with toys, it was great.

Yesterday was one of the worst days in a long time. My DS (4) is also very minimally verbal and has ASD. Some days he just decides hes gonna make my life a living hell, and well, that was yesterday. Crying screaming tantrums over very little or nothing, all day. I mean from the second we got out of bed, until going back to bed at night.

Refusing to eat, shower, use the toilet, sleep, etc. I blew my fuse at a few points and the mum guilt I have is horrific. Its not his fault, in the moment it just gets so overwhelming, I dont know. I normally cope better but I never want to live another day like yesterday again tbh.

Its such a hard life, but a rewarding one too.

May I ask, does your DD say many words now? My son was competely non verbal until the age of 3 when he started saying a few words. Still to this day very minimal with very slow improvement, though I'm still so proud of him and how far he's come!

Also cant believe its only Monday. Feels like the 6 weeks holidays at this point already 🥲

7 and 5.

Sarcasm? 😂

if not, that’s great - it’s best to aim for as much fun as possible to combat the sheer feeling of exhaustion 😂

❤️❤️

Today was a great day, that’s good, one day at a time. Sorry your yesterday was shite - I’ve been there honestly, my dd is having more meltdowns now as opposed to less, but they’re more about not getting her own way, which is hard to navigate!

mine is just using words or short sentences now to tell me what she wants

so ‘go to bed’ or toilet or chicken nuggets. People have said theirs start to pick up language aged 5 or 6 so he could very well be on his way to picking it up 🥰

i recommend PROLOQUO2GO - an app on the iPad store for a text to speech device that aids speech

it goes on sale in early April, it’s bloody expensive - 250, but is often half price in April each year

it’s tough honestly, but by waking up everyday and being there for them, we’re going amazing 🥰🥰

Just been on the SN board wondering if there's any support chats (the answer was not that I could see) so glad to have found this. Ds is poorly and wouldn't let the GP examine him today and I got the brunt end. Gullivers world tomorrow hoping hes better and hoping for some sleep tonight!

Solidarity ladies

Twitch twitch gibber. Bedtime has just taken five (5) fucking hours. Thank god for holiday club on Weds.If she doesn’t get sent home this time.

Nope definitely not sarcasm but term time is way more stressful for us, oldest isnt at school and have one with ebsa all the running round and meetings and constant calls, glad of a break from it!

I am so grateful to have found this thread. Yesterday was awful. My 9 year old was so difficult yesterday. He struggles with school but becomes so dysregulated by the change from term time to half term that he cries, complains and generally whinged all day long. Sleep goes out of the window despite his prescription of melatonin. I also have a 7 year old who wants to go everywhere and do everything (except holiday clubs) and a husband who works shifts so I'm solo parenting and trying to balance their conflicting needs and refereeing their fights.
School holidays age me 🫠 I dread them because I can predict exactly how its going to go. My Sen childs needs are quite profound and there are no Sen holiday provisions here.
Coupled with the fact that I've spent a year fighting the LA to get him into a specialist provision and we are now heading to Tribunal (Jan 2027!!!!) and I am pretty much done. Solidarity to those struggling this half term.

I got to sleep at 6am (ds up all night) and got 2.5 hours sleep. To say im exhausted is an under statement I just lay and cried most the night. Now I've got to go to gullivers world for the day!

Mine does not have as much high needs as folks on here so huge respect to you all and well done xxx
We are away for the week and getting us here has been the most epic military operation. But fingers crossed all the showing photos, social stories, bringing half the house with us has worked fingers crossed fingers crossed as they slept in the night and seem OK about doing an activity today. I was thinking I might be spending a week sitting on the floor of an expensive room watching someone play with the same toys as at home but we might be able to leave the hotel!!

Good morning all 🙂

a late one for us, as we had a late night. Dd immediately went for her tablet and I didn’t have the energy to stop this. So it’s crisps and tablet in bed for breakfast

today we need to head into central London to collect something from Ikea. We aren’t too far from the tube station so hopefully she will cope well. We might uber to the station as she hates the walk. then I’ll take her to Lidl for some donuts

Dd loves having a bath so that shouldn’t be difficult - she gets water everywhere but as long as she’s happy!

we were supposed to go swimming but maybe tomorrow 🫩

@TiredYetExhausted 💐❤️

it’s so tough dealing with two, especially as their needs are different - I can’t believe how long you’re waiting for the tribunal!! I can imagine how exhausted you must feel by the whole process! What will you do today? It’s hard I imagine to find something to please both of them but also to allow you a little rest!

@Stuckincircles I was thinking I might be spending a week sitting on the floor of an expensive room watching someone play with the same toys as at home but we might be able to leave the hotel!! made me lol - when me and dd went away, she needed time in the hotel to watch her tablet 😅

where have you gone? Hopefully she copes well, you’ve prepped well enough ❤️

Oh @Helplessandheartbroke 🥺💐 I’ve been there. Dd’s school are being v difficult re attendance and I try to explain that I am operating on 2 hours sleep and then driving across London to get her there!

are you having to drive to gullivers travels? Who are you going with? Bless you, I can imagine how much you’re dreading the day ahead, but the kids will enjoy it hopefully?

❤️

@Helplessandheartbroke i will start a thread on the sen board linking to this one - I did one on there last half term but no one really saw it!

apparently the threads from there don’t show up on ‘active’ due to commenters being dicks! As if we haven’t got enough on our plates!

@BubbleBubblePopp i understand - the lie in today has been quite nice. Its difficult all round isn’t it, just having a bit of peace from being up and down the school must feel amazing❤️

@Fairyvocals 5 hrs!!! You’re a saint!

how did you ge through it?! Dd goes in with me as I couldn’t cope with the two hours it would take every day for her to go down in her own bed. She sleeps while I watch the soaps on tv on low

last night she was up watching love island with me 🫩😅 so much for some me time!

❤️

Thanks op. I drove, we went with another mum and her ds from school. How was your trip?

How did it go @Helplessandheartbroke ? You poor thing having to drive as well!! I hope you’re at home now? will you have a restful evening? Did you say dd was poorly, I hope he’s feeling better?

I saw your other comment, I can imagine you’re just exhausted!! When will you see the gp? Are you a solo mum like me? ❤️

i would love to keep this thread running long term 🙂 xx

we are home now, we went to Oxford street, just totally Ikea. She was coping well so decided to go and get some McDonald’s - I don’t know why I did that, it was hell on earth in there! Just so busy, she wasn’t coping (and neither was I!) so I just got her happy meal and took her to a food court.

She had her tablet and McDonald’s and a donut and she was a happy bunny!!

managed a 2 min trip to John Lewis before she lay on the floor and refused to walk, but I was pushing my luck there!

did pick up a little perfume as a treat to myself in that time though so I am announcing today a win.

now it’s screen time and pizza for dinner

@firstofallimadelight how was Ds’s science activity today? ❤️

@x2boys sorry I didn’t respond sooner, that’s amazing though that you’ve got a respite care package in place. Do they provide a baby sitter for overnights 4 x a month? It’s great as well that he copes with change well!

I need to sort this for dd as it really is only us 2 with no support. Would love something for the 6 weeks. She does go to a special class in a school, but they don’t offer a holiday club xx

@CanYouHearYourself I hope your day was filled with less arguing?! Fingers crossed for a bit of peace although I know that’s a big ask!

Ds was good as gold but I struggled with lack of sleep. My grandad has just poured me a glass of wine then im going to bed. Up at 6 to travel 4 hours to middlesex with work so hope we have sleep tonight. I've got a dh but he works long hours. I've been on leave today but work tomorrow.

You're brave even going on the tube. My ds would really struggle with that. Glad you got to treat yourself