what did we all do before the kids?

[lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs]

or until we had to make changes due to our LOs SN??
I trained to work with children and families. I spent 6 years in SS working on child protection and parenting assessments. I also used to manage a respite group for SN children and worked for 2 years in an emotional and behavioural difficultie unit for chidlren expelled from school.

what do you all do?

I am a teacher, and still am, but definitely a more knowledgeable one now! I was also someone who read several books every week and loved a lie in! I still love reading, but am now pretty busy trying to keep up with a teaching job and two dcs with SN. A few months back i would have said I was some kind of legal executive as I have fought two tribunals without any legal help! I am definitely a more assertive, and also less judgemental person than I was though.

My previous job didnt really prepare me for ds at all!
I was a supervisor in an electronics factory specialising in refurb and repair for a major PC manufacturer.

The last day i worked was the day i went into labour at 25 weeks.
now i just mostly sleep and search the internet for equipment and info!

I was training to be a canine behaviourist. I was hopeless though, as I was always to soft to charge clients so could never make any money at it. I also used to get so fed up with people who brought me their dogs to 'fix' but wouldn't put any effort into the process themeselves (ie not one jot of training or following advice put into action between appointments). As if bringing their dogs to see me once a week could resolve a problem like aggression by osmosis or something. I got into it through having an aggressive rescue dog myself and doing everything in my power to help him overcome his problems, so I never understood why other people weren't as willing to give it their all, when often the only alternative was to have the dog put to sleep.

I also worked part-time in educational administration, mainly statistical stuff around quality, retention and achievement. Needless to say I loathed my job with a passion.

I also suffered from an unidentified ME/CFS type illness which came and went throughout most of my twenties, but had been dormant (recessive??) for a while before I had ds1.

Interestingly, it was only while I was on the phone to ds's EP earlier this week that I realised how much my knowlege of behavioural theory has influenced my parenting. The EP also said it explained why I am the only parent she is currently dealing with who actually 'gets' what she is doing with their dc and does things at home to support the process.

oooh moosemama as a canine behaviourist I'm sure you'd be fab in ABA :) (seriously)

Frosty, I have been tempted to try clicker training the dcs on occasion.

I don't think I have the patience for it anymore unfortunately. I would happily spend hours training one tiny aspect/step of a behaviour back then, these days I am always far too tense to be that patient.

My poor dogs are sadly neglected these days as well. The two older ones were thoroughly trained waaay back when and have retained most of it. The latest edition arrived as a rescue out of the blue four years ago and hasn't had anywhere near as much training. Fortunately he is the soppiest, laziest lurcher who spends most of his time sleeping and using the bin as a trough.

Could be Starlight, but she's actually really good and phones after every session to explain what they've been doing, where it is leading and what the overall plan/targets are. She then follows that up with an email to both myself and his teacher. She's also been great at 'handling' his teacher and liaising with the school in general.

I think we landed really lucky with this EP, she has been fantastic and has really helped ds. Unfortunately, he only has another four sessions with her after Christmas.