Anyone else starting to feel the back to school jitters?

[Vagaceratops]

We go back next tuesday and I am already dreading it. When I think about it I get a knot in my stomach and I feel a bit nauseous.

Every time we mention the word school, DS (ASD) starts screaming that he wants to go home. He has a new teacher, new classroom and the move from reception to Y1 is going to be extra tough I think.

We too have had a great summer holidays. A few wobbles but a really nice few weeks.

Whenever he hears the word school or I try and mention it now he makes an awful hacking sound in his throat, a bit like a hissing cat but louder. I am so nervous and I know this is going to be a make or break year. When we put him in MS we were unsure if it was right for him, and everyone has described him as borderline. We found a good school but I think if he cant cope with this year it will be the end for MS.

I'm quite nervous about it, but only because DS2 will be starting his new SS, and while he's quite excited, I'm nervous. New things and all, you know. That and the fact that they have regular trips to places off campus, so more for me to panic over (DS2 is a runner with no sense of safety - I HATE off-campus stuff!). And don't even get me started on the swimming classes!

I have to admit, my anxiety levels are rising every day as we hurtle towards the end of the holidays, which is tuesday for us. I'm lucky in the sense that DD is actually really excited at the thought of going back and seems to understand that this year, things are going to be different-less play etc, so i'm trying desperately to hold on to the positives.

Overall i've been really happy with DD this summer and she's come on leaps and bounds with certain things such as she's learnt to ride her bike with stabilisers, which was literally an overnight thing! One thing i'm very disappointed with though is that she didn't have any play mates atall. Don't get me wrong, we kept her occupied all the time, but I was hoping i'd get a phone call from one of the mums to arrange a playdate. I have tried a couple of times before the holidays and it always gets cancelled/put off, so I backed off over the summer as DD seemed to be happy regardless. Having said that, I know it would have been a huge load off if she had been playing with one of her classmates throughout the holidays.

Unfortunately the older DD gets, the more I notice the other mums back away from us. It's been a gradual thing, but nevertheless it hurts. I couldn't care less for me, but it's infuriates me when I see some mums almost shield their dc's away from my DD.

Oh and Triggles, I completely relate to the off campus stuff. I remember a month or so before DD broke up, we went for a day trip and the option was open for parents to meet them there. When I asked the school how they felt about me coming they said basically that I didn't have to, it's optional and she'll be absolutely fine if I didn't go. Well, thank god I was bloody there!!! My DD is also a runner and if I hadn't been there, I seriously think they would have lost her. I tried to back off and hang back so she couldn't see me often and when I watched the teachers, I could see that they never really watched the dc's atall. They just gave the very occasional head count, you know, just to make sure one's not fallen into a river

mariammariam - My head's in the same space. DS had a decent year emotionally in year 3 - his first since he hit school age - BUT made no progress whatsoever academically to my mind. He's still only level 1 going into year 4, which considering he's average intellect & keen to learn just isn't OK with me iykwim.

Diagnosis happened just before the end of term, but the report won't be available till the start of Oct. (Only ASD - no dyspraxia/dyslexia - do I battle on for formal reccognition for these?).

I'm waiting till his annual review at the end of November, and then I'll make my mind up then re home educating. My Mum's already told me to gear up for another Tribunal - trouble is you hit a point where you start to wonder how productive all the battling is as it takes up so much energy that perhaps could be put to better use helping your child directly iykwim. I guess I'm just exhausted and have lost faith in the whole "system" iykwim. I've already decided that unless we move to another authority year 7 on will be via Interhigh (online school from home).

summerhols I've had the same situation with school playmates being a non event. It would be nice if he had met up, even just once, with even just one kid from his school. People are oh so busy, but not too busy to meet up with others in his class and post pics of their days out on FB! One of the parents in particular is meant to be a close friend and I feel quite hurt about it.

I have also noticed lately though that me and my sis rarely meet up with the kdis in tow, it's always when they are at school. It's nice as we get to catch up but I've noticed DS is missing other kids lately and I feel sad for him and a bit paranoid that no one wants their kids spending time with him. I could understand if he was violent to other kids maybe but he isn't. A bit quirky and rather highly strung but not nasty.
_

School achievement wise I think my choice of schooling will be getting reviewed again during or at the end of year 3. I can really see him struggling. He's been so chilled this summer hols and has achieved some really big steps but I can see already how anxious he's getting about school.

summerhols oh no! it's the swimming that panics me, tbh. I'm terrified that he will either run and crack his head open (he has a tendency towards head injuries for some weird reason) or drown as they haven't noticed where he is right away. He literally needs to be held on to ALL the time. There are no brakes in his head - no impulse control at all.

Me too. DS2 is starting reception and they want to see how he copes without any support before they try and get any for him. The only things he is meant to be having is grab rails, toilet seat and step and extra steps in front of doors so there are 2 low steps instead of one high one. But the paperwork took so long that it hasn't been done in time. Also DS2 is one of those children who cry when you leave them and then are fine when you are out of the door. At preschool there was a window you could look through to make sure they were ok but at school you just have to leave and hope for the best.

I thought I'd revisit this thread to see how everyone's kids were doing?

My ds 5 is saying he doesn't want to go to school on a daily basis and is really anxious and finds it hard to seperate from me. School say he's fine and it's a normal level of anxiety for a child in year 1l I sense it's going to be a long year!