Good News

[Ted27]

Its often said that adopters rarely post about good news. So I thought I would start a good news thread and ask MN to pin it to the top.

I'll start

My son is 17 and going into his second year at college studying engineering. He passed year 1 with Merit. A fantastic journey from special school into mainstream education. He has a Saturday job in a grocers. He is good fun to be around and he has lots of friends. We have had our tough times but the future looks bright. He is a fantastic young man and I'm very proud and privileged to be his mum.

6 months in and she said "my mummy!" when talking about me - lovely. Granted she is 3 so considers everything to be hers lol but even so. A lovely moment that she's recognising mummy is not just my name but who I am to her and her alone.

@Kitkatcrunchie

6 months in and she said "my mummy!" when talking about me - lovely. Granted she is 3 so considers everything to be hers lol but even so. A lovely moment that she's recognising mummy is not just my name but who I am to her and her alone.

That is lovely to hear.

@Kitkatcrunchie

thats lovely. I had a similar moment at our first nativity assembly. He was scanning the audience, when he saw me he jumped up and down and yelled thats MY mummy - best thing ever

I’m not sure where the years have gone but today my young man is 18.

I’m so very proud of him. No idea what the future holds for him but can’t wait to see it unfold.

Happy birthday to your son.

My younger one will be 18 next term, where does the time go?

Happy birthday and congratulations on raising him to adulthood @Ted27 - such an achievement in its own right.

Happy 18th Birthday to Simba. What a remarkable young man he is Ted !

After a really long battle we have found a perfect specialist school for eldest which has space, he loved when we looked round and has today been named on his EHCP.
Do feel sad that both children will now be out of mainstream and into specialist but know it's the right thing for them both. Just breaks my heart they won't be attending local school with kids they have been with since nursery.
Mixed emotions but the future is looking more hopeful.

@Patchyman1

well done!

I always say to people don't focus on whether a school is called mainstream or special. Its a school which meets your child's needs.
I understand though about going to local school, but he loved the new school and will make new friends

I agree with @Ted27 while I get the disappointment that my DD won’t have the typical high school experience she will be in a place that’s able to meet her needs. She’s never cope in mainstream so her experience would have been stressful and undermining. Your boy will make new friends in the nurturing environment he needs - that’s a huge deal and will give him the best opportunity to thrive.

Thanks both, it's such a huge relief and he is beyond happy with the outcome as are we. He's not coping in mainstream and his brother has thrived at his specialist school, has made friends and is doing his work,so fingers crossed for this one!
Oh and they have a dog, what more could you want!

Exam results time
My boy got 2 merits and a pass on his Engineering course. Very proud mum.

10 years ago he was in special school, working below national curriculum level

@Ted27 I'm only early in my adoption journey (we have a link to a LO and matching panel coming up) but I have been reading about you and your son for the years of our journey so far and it's so lovely to hear that he has done so well! Huge congratulations to him for those results and a big Whoopee for you too, proud mum indeed!

@Ted27 That’s wonderful. Well done ted27 junior!

@Ted27 wonderful news. Congratulations to your boy and also to you for all your hard work. Please tell Simba he is an inspiration and brings me hope for the future of my 2 boys in special schools working below the national average.xx

bumping up

Well done The Boy!

DD has started her GCSE years. She now manages to do a maths test without a meltdown due to anxiety - for the first time since her first year of primary.

She got a 2/3 for the maths test, and the teacher says that usually people go up 2 grades if they do the work they are set and put the effort in, so she is on track to pass.

She went into central London with a friend on Monday for the Queen's funeral, the first time she has gone without me, and wanting to go to an 'event' with a friend instead of me for the first time. Bittersweet! They got there and back safely, despite the crowds, and she has a notch more self-confidence.

She has friends at school and outside school. She no longer has suicidal thoughts.

She is a talented dancer, and working towards her Intermediate ballet exam.

She tells me often, in a relaxed and unforced way, that she loves me.

She walked the dog for me this afternoon after school!

I know you will all Get This !

Super proud mummy here. AS6 is now able to sit in the classroom and do some work !!!

A year ago he spent most of the day running out of the classroom, touching everyhing, flicking light switches, climbing etc.

The agression towards staff and children is really reducing too.

He is finally starting to feel safe in school.

That's amazing @Chocapple

Well done that bo

@Chocapple lovely to hear your son is starting to feel safe in school.

My DS is just starting out with school and feeling safe is so important for him too.

I'm feeling super proud this week because he did 3 full days and came out smiling. Separation anxiety is a challenge for him so it's massive that he managed 6 hour school days. Then, this afternoon he worked out how to balance and pedal his bike at the same time. We were both over the moon with excitement!!

DD2 (6), who is on the ASC/ADHD pathway, does a martial art twice a week to help with burning off her excessive energy. DD is fantastic at this sport and it has helped massively with her attention span and listening skills. This weekend, she was selected to take part in a workshop with an Olympic gold medalist - and, best of all, got the chance to wear the medal around her own neck. Now there’s an aspiration for her to aim for!

how exciting for her @EmmatheStageRat

My DD came home 3 years ago at 15 months.. the first 6 months very hard and there's been times we've struggled. She adores her playful funny daddy and openly says I make her sad because I correct her. She says this with a smile. We've been abroad this year and she was up on stage one night. They asked what her favourite part of the holiday was and she said my mammy. Honestly now my heart danced and burst. She will never know how much that means to me. I'm beyond proud of her every single day and am so thankful to be able to call her my daughter. Adoption is not for the faint hearted but its the best thing I have ever done. I adopted because I could not see my life without a child.. I'm so glad I did because my life was nothing before her. The good, the bad and the ugly will always be worth it

that is so beautiful

I’ve been really open on other threads about the challenges my DD1 faces - and the impact of those challenges on our family unit. Anyway, DD has the chance to go on a camp to Sweden with her Girlguiding Rangers group next summer; her first trip overseas. DD has to raise a proportion of the cost of the trip herself as a way of demonstrating her independence and initiative.

So, using her well-honed-from-years-of-practice charity shop hunting skills, DD stumbled across an actual trove of treasure; a colossal horde of vintage glass beads and semi-precious stones, like bags and bags of them, for the princely sum of £12.

Since she is registered blind (she has some functional sight), I have been helping DD make some Memory Wire bracelets (we researched what we could do that was simple but effective on Etsy).

Here is a stunning seed Pearl and tiger’s eye bracelet she has made from semi-precious stones and another made from vintage Czech glass beads. Oh, and my personal favourite that is a mixture of stones and beads.

Etsy here we come!