World bloody book day

[TGIFbishes]

My DS school is great and said dressing up isn't compulsory but then ofc this morning my DS is the only one in uniform and he was trying so hard to hold it together. I've had an email from school to say he's struggling today and sitting with his sen teacher and they'll let me know if he needs collecting.
I really dread days like this for him, some SEN children find days like this so hard. It doesn't help that it's such a small school and I don't think there are any others in the same boat as him :(

Pointless thread really just thought other perhaps in the same boat somewhere and if so hugs

I completely get this. My Ds is exactly the same (he has ASD). Things like World Book Day, Christmas plays and sports day have always been an absolute nightmare.

For me, they are such stark reminders of how hard my Ds finds things that other Dc enjoy and it can be very painful.
I will never forget the sports day when I had to carry him off the pitch in front of 200 parents as he was having such a meltdown.

My Ds is at secondary school now and mercifully these kinds of events happen much less.

@Toomanyminifigs

I completely get this. My Ds is exactly the same (he has ASD). Things like World Book Day, Christmas plays and sports day have always been an absolute nightmare.

For me, they are such stark reminders of how hard my Ds finds things that other Dc enjoy and it can be very painful.
I will never forget the sports day when I had to carry him off the pitch in front of 200 parents as he was having such a meltdown.

My Ds is at secondary school now and mercifully these kinds of events happen much less.

Thanks for the reply! Sports days are horrendous too yes! I've luckily only been to two thanks to covid but the first he cried the entire time and had a teacher shout at him for not trying. Ogre mum here had to wade in. This was in reception though and before any kind of SEN acknowledgment.

Do you ever keep your child off for certain events? I'm tempted going forward.

For a few years his primary school were like: 'Oh, let him try, he might be fine'. But then after several very loud/disruptive meltdowns during school events they realised it just wasn't going to happen.

To be fair, the school were then pretty good at 'reasonable adjustments'. For example at sports days in the end he would 'help' the staff by handing out equipment, or writing down scores (he loved that!). In school plays he was allowed to act as 'stage manager'.

I know that the last days of Christmas/summer terms can be especially hard as all the usual timetables go out the window for things like parties, play rehearsals and the kids are all so hyped up. My Ds was allowed to sit out the class party and help his LSA do photocopying for example.

I tried not to take him out of school as a) I work and b) I didn't want him to think that school was 'optional' (it was hard enough to get him to go some days as it was).

If you have a good relationship with the school hopefully they can find ways to include your Ds in a way that he can cope with - or support him if he really can't. It's definitely worth having a conversation with his class teacher well in advance of any event to see what can be put in place - and so your Ds can know in advance what's going to happen.

These little things can be such a minefield for our children.

I complained to head last year. This year they decided not to do costumes (may be to do with complaint I don't know) but they left it till a few days before so most people had bought already. Also decided to do an egg competition so people were annoyed at short notice.