Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

How is your back to school going?

34 replies

sumum · 11/09/2010 12:14

My ds started Tuesday and had a fantasic day according to his new teacher.

He has just moved into juniors and is trying really hard to be good and conform (he has adhd/asd) but the stress is telling on him at home and we have had lots of meltdowns over very trivial things and sleeping is bad again, dispite 10mls melitonine it was nearly 12 when he got to sleep last night.

I am now dreading next week as he can't maintain the good behavoiur there for much longer

OP posts:

Al1son · 11/09/2010 13:30

After having enjoyed the drop in stress levels I can see them mounting again in both my girls. DD1 is a bit short tempered and rather tired but manageable. DD 2 began the after school meltdowns on Thursday and didn't go to sleep until 1am - not that it affected her at school at all. It's a shame when you see it ramping back up because you realised how your life should be without school.

siblingrivalry · 11/09/2010 13:32

We have the sane problems as both of you. DD had the mother of all meltdowns of Wednesday night.
She is irritable, then withdrawn, then shouting -am dreading the next few weeks to be honest.

Original poster

sumum · 11/09/2010 13:46

he is also in the midst of a very strong obsession with toy story and wants to collect all the characters and can't understand they cost a lot of money, and small figures wont do it has to be the exact replicas with certifictes (£40-£50 each!)

I think his obsessions are stronger when he is stresed.
Everytime he opens his mouth it's to tell me something about toy story and why he should be going to the shop to get another character. Arrrrrggggg

OP posts:

coppertop · 11/09/2010 14:07

My two (ASD) usually take at least a couple of weeks to settle back in and so far it's looking the same this year.

Ds1 enjoys school and is happy to be back, but is getting upset and angry at home. I think it's a mixture of tiredness and trying to cope with all the changes of a new class, new teacher etc.

Ds2 has had a couple of meltdowns at school so far this week. The staff have been great with him and resolved each issue, and have probably headed off a few more meltdowns too. At home he's extremely sensitive to everything and is getting upset at the tiniest little thing.

I'm even finding myself dreading December already because it's when we usually go through this all over again because of the build-up to Christmas.

ouryve · 11/09/2010 15:24

We've already had a couple of "I don't want to go to school" mornings with DS1 and his teacher said he did pretty much his own thing and no work at all, yesterday morning, though he did join in in the afternoon. He didn't eat any dinner on Thursday, though that's nothing out of the ordinary, lately, it seems :/

DS2 appears to be loving it, though isn't so impressed with me making him walk home (1km up hill!) instead of using the buggy!

Ineed2 · 11/09/2010 15:32

Pretty mixed here, Dd3 has been saying she doesn't want to go but then going in ok. No tears. But has been yuk at home tantrums refusal to do anything unless it suits her and staying awake lining the teddies up round her bed till god knows what time.

Spinkle · 11/09/2010 19:36

OK ish here. More meltdowns at home though. I'm trying to make sure I'm super relaxed at home and hoping it rubs off. Couple of 'I don't want to go to school' days but was talked round.

I'm with coppertop in dreading December though...

PipinJo · 11/09/2010 19:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

rebl · 11/09/2010 19:58

Horrific . Considering pulling him out. He's certainly not going back there until I hear in a meeting on Monday at 8am that things are going to change and they're going to change straight away.

Ampersand44 · 11/09/2010 19:58

DS2 (9) started off bravely on Monday, considering has not attended school regularly since February. He knows he will be getting help (full time statement in process of being finalised), and is going half days for the first couple of weeks.

Told us he was 'terrified' but went in Monday, Tuesday, then Wednesday back to the usual refusing pattern, though got him in in the end. Thursday climbing into the car boot and took a lot to get him in. Friday, very very aggressive to me and his brother from the moment he woke up until time to leave at which time he suddenly put his clothes on and came without a murmur! But we know he is not really comfortable.

It is a rollercoaster and we are really not sure if mainstream is going to work. Holding our breath for full days, PE, swimming etc. and he gets in such a state about every little thing. Making first tentative visit to a special school next week.

Wish I had a crystal ball, it is the wait and see and not knowing what is for the best that I find so hard!!

5inthebed · 11/09/2010 20:06

Well we have had quite a good start to schoo. DS2 has settled back in with no problems.

However I'm just waiting for the backlash as it usually takes a week or two for him to react to big changes.

Sleep is getting less, so melatonin is getting increased. He is absolutely shattered when he finished school though and hom behaviour is worse than usual.

He received some homework on Friday (see prev thread) which I'm not impressed about.

asdx2 · 11/09/2010 20:56

Ds is holding up so far. Have a meeting with the ed psych on Thursday to see if she has any strategies to aid his interaction and communication difficulties.
Dd is having a ball. The transition plan last term has meant that she has made the move to her new class and teacher without a backward glance.
The only difficulty has been trying to persuade her to come home when I go to pick her up from after school club but they have put a chart in place to help with that.
Had dd's OFSTED report yesterday and it confirmed what I already knew that the school provide outstanding support for children with SEN and disabilities

woolytree · 11/09/2010 21:23

DD started MS school just over a week ago, previously went to nursery next door. Going well so far, just got initial dx ASD, school has SN provision??? She reacted badly to finishing nursery for summer,language/behaviour/toileting. Met SENCO before any dx, but have a feeling they dont have resources for DD. She loves school but it is exhausting her and by Friday she was teary at school and asking for Daddy. Gets home and zones out. TA seems quite withdrawn, only mentions who ate their dinner!?! New teacher is lovely but very busy....more so in Jan when more kids arrive. Worried it will be too noisey/overstimulate DD. They agreed to a communication diary and are trying.. But still uncertain if we want her there, just found out another school not to far away that has a ASD unit attached to MS School.

Not got statement yet, not got dx report yet, not got full S&L assesment yet.

TheArsenicCupCake · 11/09/2010 21:24

We started of good.. We aren't doing so great now..:(

but I still hold out a bit of hope.

starfish71 · 12/09/2010 11:02

DS went back surprisingly ok but stress has been increasing, in mornings, evenings, tummy pains, crying, doesn't like his new classroom wants to go back into old one. In fact any change there has been he is now talking about, wants our house back to being painted red, why did woolworths close etc...

We have just been told DS is getting statement and went to see a mainstream school with an ASD unit attached on Thursday and although it is a bit of a distance (16 miles) and DS will need transport it was brilliant. No room there at present but am hoping for a place soon. Meanwhile DS's school are not keen on spending out of their budget to put support in, not happy. Will ask for a meeting this week.

sugarcandymonster · 12/09/2010 13:19

DS has spent a week at residential secondary school. He was understandably anxious on his first day, but when I called in the evening he said he'd had an 'awesome time!'. . He's kept himself to himself a bit, hiding in his room with his laptop in the evenings, but I know the staff will be working to encourage him to socialise more when he is a bit more settled. He says he likes the teachers and lessons - which is pretty amazing for a child who had refused to enter the classroom at all in the past six months (in his ms primary.)

wigglybeezer · 12/09/2010 14:04

DS2 doing well, won superstar of the month last week (we are in Scotland so have been back for a while now), he has a lovely keen new teacher rather than the old bags more mature ladies he has had before.

DS1 started secondary and is coping in school(apart from organisational stuff like losing PE kits) but being very stroppy and tearful at home!

fightingthela · 12/09/2010 14:52

Awful - worst first week back ever! Really upset and tearful,been put on tables with the children that like to wind him up. Shouted at by TA and DH & I had words with the Senco. Not happy that different staff working with him have not been informed of his difficulties. Can only hope things improve this week.

mariagoretti · 12/09/2010 16:21

Not great, but not too bad so far. one biting Incident, sent to head once, told off lots and home life clearly showing the effects. And sodding homework... I thought I would be shot of that when I left school. It often is a few weeks till the real trouble kicks off for us, and I'm scared of December already as well.

Lol at bringing up old & unrelated changes, we've had the woolworths conversation today as well!

Ineed2 · 12/09/2010 17:08

Oh I love it here.. we have the woolworths conversation regularly!!! and I thought we were alone

tiredmummyoftwo · 12/09/2010 17:33

First three days had to carry DS physically to the car, been okish after that, but tries his best to convince me to go to the play area instead. Once he is at the school, he gives up and walks in very easily. He is having very long days since going back to school, signed him up for two hours of after school activities every day (doing roller blading, swimming, jujitsu, wrestling, piano lessons and dancing) and seems to be coping very well.

Ampersand44 · 13/09/2010 09:19

Haven't had Woolworths conversation but latest is we never should have moved house (4 years ago!!). And long lists of tiny details about events he got upset over in previous school (over a year ago and more). Always a sign the anxiety is on the up (plus climbing in the boot of the car and refusing to get out at school).

siblingrivalry · 13/09/2010 09:35

Starfish my dd still talks about Woolworths and why it had to close etc. It's still available online -not sure if you knew?
DD has a catalogue from Christmas '98 (catalogues are her obsession) and she guards it with her life.

SanctiMoanyArse · 13/09/2010 09:42

Oh we have you never should ahve convos, and I remember my Mum meeting a lady in tears at Woolies closing as her ASD chidl would take it so badly!

Return tos chool nightmarish. DS1 now has a statement providing lunchtime and breaktime 1-1. It has happened 50% of the time- no rota in place yet, and the cover lady is his TA whose dad is dying so understandably popping oput most lunchtimes. So far ds1 has had a black eye, ripped shirt (Thursday) and on Friday we were called in becuase ds1 had been violent except it seems only in repsonse to a child having a skipping rope around ds2's neck, so IMO understandable if wronga ction.

I now have ds1 with me: he binged on dairy from teh fridge alst night knwoing it would make him sick, and as he has a Psych appt at 11 he's here until after lunch and I have told school I want a call on any unsupervised break though expect to be ignored.

Someone I knwo professionally has offered to assess ds2 free for ADHD and dyspraxia as well but school insisting they take him off SEN register after only six months; new Head is exceedingly annoying and I wish she's head back to her religious box and leave the school with a decent Head like we had before. I was taking calls over summer from professionals concerend about what was happening at teh school now, tipped off by the teachers themselves: that's how we got assessment offer but also- arrrggggghhhhh.

Peaceflower · 13/09/2010 10:30

DS (8) went back ok, and was quite positive about school, until last Friday.

It was his birthday and the teacher forgot ' the a boy that had previously bullied him started "annoying" him throughout the whole lesson by taking his number line, his pencil, knocking his stuff to the floor.

DS has now started repeating his mantra of last year, "hate school"' doesn't want to get up, etc.

We went to see his teacher and told him. The teacher said, "if this carries on, perhaps we can move you to another table".

Why is it always the child who's picked on who has to move ?????

Rant over

Flip

1 2