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Original poster

To be proud of ds crossing the road by himself aged 10? back story SN

26 replies

MadameDefarge · 23/04/2011 00:36

Ds has severe dyspraxia....left and right, blah blah as far as he is concerned, but today he crossed our busy main street twice by himself.

I know for most kids this is quite old ( I know at his age I crossed the country on trains by myself, let alone a road!)

But I am proud of him. He faced up to his fears and did it anyway. And I know it gave him such a boost.

Even though I watched with my heart in my mouth!

OP posts:
bleedingstill · 23/04/2011 00:42

my "normal" 10 yo is unreliable in road crossing.

Massive WHOOP for your boy! they suck the love out of you then they suck out some more, eh?

EllenJane1 · 23/04/2011 00:42

Fantastic. YADNBU. I can remember being proud of my DS1 (without SN) when he started coming home from school by himself at age 10. Daft, isn't it, I came home from school from 6! But times have changed, 10 times as many cars for a start. Well done on giving him this freedom. I know how hard it is! [busmile]

ChristinedePizan · 23/04/2011 00:44

Hooray for your DS - massive step towards independence :)

ll31 · 23/04/2011 01:32

congratulations - independence here we come!

caramelwaffle · 23/04/2011 01:34

Well done Smile

Original poster
MadameDefarge · 23/04/2011 01:44

thank you ladies! God, its hard, but worse still is the idea of him still being dependent on me x years down the road. this was a big one for me. Secondary school looming etc. Now I feel confident we can start him off with the right measure of independence.

But such a change! yesterday I held his hand as we crossed roads, today I gave him they keys to the house (at coffee shop across the road) and said fine, off you go! The lure of lego!

OP posts:
BitOfFunnyBunny · 23/04/2011 01:47

Oh that is so wonderful to hear- fabulous [bugrin]

ll31 · 23/04/2011 01:59

con grats again - as someone with son of 11 I'm still gettingover the complete desire for independence which seems to have hit all of a sudden!!!

Niecie · 23/04/2011 02:00

Well done to your DS!!!

I also have a DS (also 10) with dyspraxia who goes to school by himself but only has a small road at the end of our cul-de-sac to cross. It can be dangerous because you can't see round the corner and people use the road to drop their children off at school but he does it. My fear for him is that he will never cross anything bigger than that without risking his neck. I tell him to look both ways, he moves his head and keeps his eyes fixed ahead. I am sure the only way he will learn is to have a horrible fright or worse.

Anyway, your DS has given me hope that he will learn eventually. It is sooo nerve wracking though isn't it!!? You have my sympathy.Smile

LostInSockLand · 23/04/2011 02:24

HUGE achievement!! My (dyspraxic) ds is a few years older and I still cant fully trust him crossing the road, he's very easily distracted and will tend to freeze in the middle.

SacreLao · 23/04/2011 03:03

Huge well done!!

These milestones mean so much when a child has SEN.

Ben10isthespawnofthedevil · 23/04/2011 06:31

Well done from a mum of a dyspraxic boy!

I am looking forward to that day (and the day that I don't hold his hand in carparks, on the pavement so he doesn't wander off the kerb, down stairs in public places so he doesn't trip etc etc etc :o)

JaneS · 23/04/2011 11:16

Good for him! And well done you for supporting him. It's really nice reading posts like this. Smile

strandedbear · 23/04/2011 11:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

strandedbear · 23/04/2011 11:18

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

280169 · 23/04/2011 11:30

wow I am so pleased for you, my 10 ds had developmental co ordination disorder and he too has done this ,this holiday and gone off to the park with his mates.I have been telling him all week how proud of him I am.

Well done to your ds and you for giving him the confidence

Original poster
MadameDefarge · 23/04/2011 18:40

Aw, you are all so lovely. It can be so very lonely, can't it? Gotta love MN!

OP posts:
atmywitssend · 23/04/2011 18:52

Brilliant! Well done DS!

heliumballoons · 23/04/2011 19:19

Brilliant. I love reading about the huge acheivemnets of DC's on here. [bugrin]

TrillianAstra · 23/04/2011 19:21

Of course you're not unreasonable to be proud of your DS for learning to become mroe independent, especially if it's been harder for him than for other children!

MedusaIsHavingABadHairDay · 23/04/2011 20:23

Brilliant!
My son also has SN (learning difficulties and ASD) and it's so scary and hard to let them go... but it is so important for independence. My son has really blossomed this year (he's 14 soon) and can now cross a road, walk to the shop and even go on the local bus to his saturday club, something I never dreamed possible a year ago.
Independence is a GREAT thing !

barbie007 · 23/04/2011 20:35

Well done to him and to you too for letting him.

Original poster
MadameDefarge · 23/04/2011 20:37

You know, I find it so moving, we all parent our little ones, SN or NT, and it can feel like such an uphill struggle at times. I am so glad I found MN. Because there is nowhere else I can just post an OP and find lots of lovely mums and dads in the same boat.

Like I said, it can feel so lonely at times. I know no other parents in RL with a child with dyspraxia. So lovely to connect immediately with peeps who get it immediately. And also all the NT parents who get how important it is. I have learnt so much here, I can't tell you.

Going to stop now, before I get soppy!

OP posts:
SmethwickBelle · 23/04/2011 20:42

It sounds like a real milestone - well done to your DS, the start of many new milestones I am sure xxx

heliumballoons · 23/04/2011 21:18

you go get all hard and your last post has left me in tears. Blush