Reception auties 2018/19 - thread 2

[openupmyeagereyes]

Thanks to LightTripper for the thread title. This is the continuation of the thread for parents and carers of dc with autism in their reception year at school. Please join us if you can or, if you have dc due to start reception in 2019, feel free to drop by and ask us questions.

Thread 1

I’ve been reading about the Charlotte Mason approach to learning as I came across it on YouTube. It’s really quite fascinating. It’s primarily about home educating and is popular in the US at the moment. Of course in England many wealthy children were educated at home by a governess at the turn of the 20c when she lived.

It’s quite a holistic approach and possibly quite suited to our dc as she doesn’t really advocate much formal learning before 8 and only in very short 5-20 minutes blocks, alternating different sorts of tasks. She believed in habit and routine, lots of outdoor play and nature walks, looking at art and reading proper books (not ‘twaddle’). Encouraging them to narrate what they’ve seen and read, that sort of thing. There are definitely some things I’ve taken on board and am going to try gently with ds. I’m hoping I won’t need to use it for actual homeschooling but if it ever comes to that at least I’ll be better prepared!

That sounds like great feedback dimples and open, how lovely!

I did give DD a hug button yesterday (first day back and they've got a new class teacher ... though they are keeping their main teacher, so I hoped it wouldn't be too disruptive and DD seems completely happy with it, so that's good!)

But this morning she manged to go in without one! She asked when we got to school, but I said "we're just doing that on special days now, remember?" and she just said "oh yes" (and then we did our many and different hugs and waves, ). But she did run off happily to join the back of the queue as the bell had just been rung, so that was good! Anyway, first day back went well and she was really excited about going back (and beyond excited that they have duck eggs in next week to hatch), so far so good....

In less exciting news it looks like DS can't have had chicken pox very mildly when DD had it, as he looks like he's got it properly now (about 3 red marks last night and then about 10 more this morning - waaahhh!!!) So far he doesn't seem too poorly with it, but I hope (like DD's) they are not too itchy as I know there is no chance of persuading him not to scratch if they are...

Hope everyone else's first week back has gone well. Roll on the weekend!

Light glad your dd went in happily and without the hug button. Definite progress! Commiserations on ds’s chicken pox. Such a pain when you think you’ve got away with it. Fingers crossed he’s not too poorly. Some of ds’s classmates and their siblings had a bad time of it.

Another good school day here. I’m glad he’s now got a few days off before the first full week.

I hope everyone else has had a good day.

Parents were invited to the Easter worship today. DS managed pretty well although his fingers were in his mouth most of the time. He did get them out to shout out his line!

I'm so glad that we made it to the weekend with very little drama.

I think you're right Open that it may be a more gentle transition for our children as they will have sensory breaks, motor skills interventions etc which will break the sessions up more. They clearly are planning ahead - considering swapping which classroom he moves into as one is more enclosed than the other and sending him on errands to year one.

Light bad luck with the chicken pox.

Ugh, a day of tantrums here. Ds woke at 3:40 for the day. Hit a girl with a toy at the monthly group we go to and for the last hour and a half has been doing his best Verruca Salt impression. He hasn’t behaved like this for ages, certainly not the hitting.

I hope you are all having a better day!

Poor you Open, hope that you all get more sleep tonight.

Well he’s asleep, so that’s a start!
Even with melatonin he had 30 mins of thrashing around. You’d think he’d be knackered.

I think we will look into a weighted blanket, see if that helps.

Well you are ahead of me in that regard - I thought that DS was asleep but he has just started singing, 'Chick, Chick, Chicken' at the top of his voice

I hope he’s asleep now dimples. Early night here!

We had a slightly better night. At 1:30 he woke up soaking wet so both he and his bed had to be stripped and changed. Thankfully he was asleep again after about 45 minutes, up again at 5:15.

The difficult behaviour is continuing today: demanding, refusing to listen, unreasonable requests. At 7:30 he was demanding to go in the garden, as it turns out to pretend to be Tree Fu Tom, and in the end I let him because he was making so much noise, he was quieter outside. Then, he poked himself in the eye inside a bush and came in

I’m not sure what’s brought this on, anxiety about school or other developmental stuff but I’m already dreading the coming school week. I’m trying to remember that he needs me to help contain his strong feelings and emotions (as per The book you wish your parents had read ) but I’m already pretty cheesed off with it all. It’s easier in the day time when you don’t have to worry so much about the noise!

Open I feel your pain! DS and I had been having a nice day until he soiled his pants (not a disaster in itself but he is horrendous about getting changed) and then whilst I was changing his sheets he smeared savlon cream all over the sofa. Remaining calm has been rather challenging!

Ugh there are definitely days where remaining calm is overrated!

I hope you both have better days tomorrow.

We had a day yesterday where ds was in constant need of messy play. I find it really tiring. He'd had a bath, played with Lego, sand coins etc all before 8.30am.

Commiserations to you both, I was not calm this morning either.

dimples I hope your sofa doesn’t have that antiseptic smell.

liv that’s impressive, we were still watching the tv at 8:30 am.

Actually, this morning aside, he’s been ok today. Much calmer and more reasonable than yesterday. Late afternoon we went to a new (to us) soft play centre that holds a monthly SEN session and it was great, quiet and stress free. It was set up nicely too as you can see the whole thing along the front so no worry because you can’t spot them. We’ll definitely be going back next time.

Ds went to sleep easily tonight, I’m hoping for a decent night!

Glad that your day got better Open. Your account of what happened before 08:30 made me feel tired Liv!

It was up and down all day here. I was only on page 2 of a bedtime story when DS fell asleep. I was v relieved and hoping for better tomorrow.

SEN friendly soft play sounds great - I find it so stressful though I think it is pretty good for sensory stuff so I feel guilty not taking DD more often!!

Sorry there have been a lot of tough days. We had a tough bedtime Friday night but a surprisingly good weekend. I think possibly because DS has been confined to barracks, so we've ended up taking DD out for lots of 1:1 time with either OH or me which I think she likes (though she has been very sweet with DS too when we are home). He is so mournful ... keeps pointing to his skin and saying "spoooottt!!!" But actually, despite a terrible night last night (up until nearly 3) he then slept until 8 and had a good nap today, so I'm keeping everything crossed tonight will be better.

Bracing now for the first full week back (and I'm leaving OH for the last 2 days of it - terrible person!!!)

Good luck all.

We have annual passes for a play farm which includes a huge indoor play area. I always find it odd that DS doesn't seem to experience any sensory overload there - he'd go every day if I'd let him.

Hope DS is on the mend soon Light.

I have been watching series one of 'Born to be different'. It made me feel guilty that I have too high expectations of DS now. He has come such a long way - I think I need to focus on that more.

That soft play sounds brilliant open. Glad you had a better night last night.

I've not seen that show dimples. I'll have to give it a watch!

Your poor ds light. Hope he recovers soon. You're not a terrible person at all. I hope you get to have a lovely break!

We had quite a nice day yesterday, ds is now massively into Tom and Jerry. It feels very nostalgic for me.

I joined a gym last week (mainly cause they do family swims in the pool) and I'm going to attempt to take ds on Thursday. I'm going to take lots of photos and try and do a social story for him but I have a horrible feeling I may not even be able to get him in the door haha.

Light your poor ds, hopefully he is on the mend now. Lovely that you have your weekend to look forward to.

dimples ds is fine with regular soft play too, he loves it. He is usually fine but sometimes will struggle to share something or get obsessed by something so I’m usually a bit on edge when we go. A SN session just means you can relax a bit more, fewer people and as it’s the weekend then dh can come. This one had a trampoline which ds loves and it also has a little ‘disco room’ with music, lights and a bubble tube. He liked that too.

liv I hope you can get your ds in the pool. I think we’ll take ds at the weekend. We’ve been trying to go fortnightly but haven’t been since before he had chicken pox. I love Tom and Jerry. I bought ds the Nutcracker special dvd but he wasn’t interested, maybe this year!

We had a good night, he slept through until about 5:15. Off to school ok too. Win win.

Glad you had a better night open!

Well it was short lived. Awake at 3:20 today 😱

Oh no, Open!

Good luck with the swimming Liv

Any tips on what size weighted blanket to get? Should it cover a single bed?

Oh no open. I made my own weighted blanket for ds out of an old cot duvet. It seems to be a pretty good size for ds still.

Thanks dimples!

Eeek! I hope you get a chance for a nap later. Did he go to school OK?

I also saw an advert (popped up on my FB I think) for a stretchy blanket thing that fits over a single mattress. Don't know if it's any good but might be a bit better than weighted when/if it gets hot? I think it was this one (but this one is US: I would think somebody must sell them here too?)

www.amazon.com/Huggaroo-Pouch-Stretchy-Sensory-Sheets/dp/B079Y53D1T?th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Looks like you can buy it from the US via ebay if there isn't a UK seller...

He went to school fine, goodness knows how he’ll get on. I told them to call me if he’s struggling. There’s a good chance he’ll fall asleep on the way home even though it’s only about 5 minutes.

He was pretty good, he stayed in bed for around an hour before deciding he wanted to get up.