the Friday night thread...

[signandsmile]

Hi everyone, how's life been?

we had first (not done by mummy) hair cut this week, with the application of lots of snacks and our lovely hairdresser, who picked a really quiet time, (and was prepared to take him upstairs to the flat it he didn't cope) ds managed really well, and looks very neat.

DS has also decided he does like flip flops, (didn't like the toe post) and has walked around in them saying 'fippy fops' to himself,

and i have lost (tum tiddy tum tum tum tum!) nearly a stone, (or did I tell you all that last week??) anyway v v proud, (lots more to go tho,) .

and as dh is away i get to keep the computer on this evening and don't have to rush away and watch Dr Who,

Hello, would it be ok if I joined in? My DD1 aged 8 was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome a few months back and a week or so ago had an ADHD diagnosis. I am on a massive learning curve and have been helped so much by all you lovely MNetters.

Can I join? I don't often post, but I wanted to share the very up and down week I had.

Last week a group of parents (me included) did a review of the SEN Green Paper. From this, another mother and I (and our partners) decided we would start a group at school for parents of children with SN/SEN to liaise with the school, support parents etc.

We had a couple of big incidents with DS (age 6, ASD) resulting in him being informally excluded for a day, and us kicking off another MPA meeting (our LEA is actually very helpful, as is the school).

I ended up running an ASD workshop during the staff meeting, with DH and another parent. And they liked it! I had lots of good feedback and they want us to come back and do more. Some of the staff have told me that they learnt more about ASD in my hour workshop/presentation then they have from anywhere else. DS's LSAs are applying for courses, we are setting up resource libraries, and his after school carer has got hold of a whole lot of sensory toys.

Next target: we are going to campaign for an ASD unit in the school!

It's been one hell of a week.

Loving the name, yodelayheehoo!

Thank you EllenJaneisnotmyname. My DD's are big Toy Story fans!

course you can, yodel and very welcome! and wow for poteroo a big week indeed!

right ho, im off to bed, well off to lie on the sofa and veg for a while. night all,

DS1's first two word phrase was 'two Buzzes' so get the Toy Story vibe!

Wow, potoroo. What an amazing week. An ASD unit would be great. We don't have any in my LA. We have some language units but no specific ASD ones. I'm not sure I'd be up for the fight anymore, but very impressed!

Lightweight, sign! (hopefully in both senses!)

Night sign, if you haven't already gone.

Just had to go up and rescue dh from dd. He'd been up there since 7.45 trying to get her to sleep! Ten minutes later, she's fast asleep in her own cot and I'm back down asking where my coffee is. Honestly, men!

Hello yodelayheehoo, and poteroo.

Poteroo, I am in awe of how proactive you are. Great to hear of a supportive school and LEA actually working with parents. Our Inclusion Team have been fighting to get an ASD unit somewhere in our borough, but the LEA are having none of it.

It's gone a bit quiet, moose. Where's ninja with that gin?

I think everyone is watching the tennis.

what a week getting a big project together its hard work but will be worth it big day out tomorrow which im NOT looking forward to DS hates the change in routine but we keep trying a week of AIT cant see any difference except a rare occasion this week when i was complaining of a splitting headache and DS rubbed my head and neck he didnt say anything just heard me complain and rubbed my head i was in shock hes never showed affection and empathy like that before ahh so sweet

There's already an ASD unit in our LEA but it is 20 miles away.
DS lashes out when he is stressed so he is getting lots of funding. Other children in the school with ASD (and there are lots) retreat into themselves, so not so much funding for them, and despite the staff's best efforts they are slipping through the system.

It just feels like everything has come to a head and I had to do something.

MN has been so supportive though (even though I mostly lurk).

I don't think we will get an ASD unit... but even if we can just get a temporary classroom that is ASD friendly. WE're going to aim high though!

Rumour has it that someone high up in our LEA has personal experience with ASD so they are fairly on the ball with statementing.

Still, I never thought I would be THAT sort of parent. I am normally the shy, retiring type.

Well done Murray!

No, I know what you mean, potoroo. I didn't think I was. My DS was in a fantastic early years special school and I became a governor. It was under threat of closure and we went through consultation, etc etc right through to the independent school adjudicator. 3 special schools were in the frame, the LA insisted they were dealt with together, but the adjudicator insisted that our school, alone, was to be kept open. Thank God we had a change of council and all 3 stayed open. But this was 6 years ago and I don't have the fire anymore.

Ellen - I think I haven't had to "fight" yet - the school and the ASD support service/SEN team in the LEA have all been fab. This makes such a difference because I know that I am being backed up by all the right people. So I am just starting to get the fire, IYKWIM.
THere is one other fab parent who is equally as determined and forth right. We hope that by starting this parent's group we can lobby the council a bit more, because it all comes down to funding.

It's great to feel in control of something for a change, and to feel you are making a real difference to your own child and their friends and others yet to come. Sounds fantastic.

Its great that you are in contact with other parents of children with ASD. I know there are several children with ASD in my ds's school, but not who they are, or who there parents are. I think its so sad that we are most likely all stood there in the playground separately, feeling isolated, when we could be supporting each other.

I've also found out that a mum at dd's toddler group has a ds the same age as my ds1, but at a different local school, who has AS and just got a statement from our LEA. The thing is, I found out via a gossipy toddler group leader, who really shouldn't have told me, so I can't approach her. Another great shame, as her dd and mine get on like a house on fire. Am hoping I will be able to drop something about my ds into the conversation at an opportune moment and hope she takes the bait, so-to-speak.

Good idea, moose. I did something similar with a parent at my DS's school who I found out was under the same advisory teacher (again probably shouldn't have been told.) I just casually mentioned about DS having SEN, and waited. She didn't take the bait, unfortunately. I've got a good number of friends from DS's days in SS but no-one at the same school. No-one I know going to his secondary either. That's a big advantage to a special unit, the chance to have like minded friends for the DC and parents who might really understand.

Oooo please can I join in too? Just about to have an update on your other thread,Moose,but I got sidetracked by this one. Must see how it went with 'barking' teacher for you today .You prob all logged off by now- didnt realise it so late. Bit of a night owl I'm afraid! Well ,I just finished 'chatting' to DS (ASPERGERS-11) bout his obsession - star wars/jobs- (have a thread bout this strange obsession) and he gone to bed happy ,I think. (YAWN). Not able for it sometimes. DH away working at moment so telly to myself-hurrah! Just saw Barry Manilow on screen a while ago -OMG so plastic surgeried it unreal-could hardly move his face- and I swear he looked like he was miming. Getting wine out now-hurrah!

got a bit sidetracked by a tin of paint and a plastered wall so I'm off to bed, early start tomorrow, dcs have to be somewhere at 9.

aunt, isn't quite strong enough for a friday evening for me, definitely no sign of scratching yet though, beverages can't have been dodgy this week

I was waiting up especially for your lovely gin, ninja, so much nicer than mine. Moose had some Tanquaray(sp) last week.

Scartette, is your DS in Y6 or Y7? Ds2 is in y6 and going up to secondary v soon. Ninja's DS is off to big school, too.

I'm still here scartette. Nothing to report really. She had to come out and speak to me today to tell me ds had eaten some cakes and bread containing gluten during some sort of interclass thing at school today and was all smiles. Haven't heard anything from the Head and don't expect I will now.

See how good I'm being?

Night Ninja, I'll not be far behind you - this tea knocks me out. Its the only thing I've ever found that actually helps me fall asleep.

I still have a bottle and a half of Tanqueray. Had one bottle for Mother's Day and another for my birthday and generally speaking I don't drink at home. I think dh was struggling for gift ideas. The only reason half the first bottle is gone is because I took it to a festival and shared it with friends.

I am dreading ds going to secondary - even had nightmares about it this week and he's only just going into year 5.

Gawd - dh is watching a zombie musical on his laptop - daft ape!

Not even virtual gin? Go on, you know you want some...

Oi, stop tempting me! I am being gooood!