Cried on the phone to school this morning

[Woahtherehoney]

Think I just need somewhere to get some sympathy haha!

5 year old DSS just wouldn’t get ready for school this morning - kept hitting me when I tried to put his uniform on. Had to practically beg him to go to school - even talking to his dad (my DP) on the phone didn’t help. Nearly had to get his Mum to come pick him up. Had to call the school to say he’d be late and burst into tears on the phone - the receptionist was wonderful to be fair!

He’s been diagnosed privately with potentially autism and anxiety but treatment is madly expensive so we’re looking at options and still waiting on the NHS but that could be years. School can’t help much as at school he’s good as gold and a model pupil, then soon as he’s out because he’s been sort of masking all day he lets it all out. (We have him 60/40 including all weekends)

He’s such a brilliant kid and I adore him - sometimes it is just really really hard and days like this just make it harder.

I wouldn't worry
If anything it'll make them more aware of the problems

Being a stepmum is so hard. You definitely feel like there's extra pressure on you to do everything right and everyone is judging your performance.

I do the school run most mornings because My DH leaves for work early and I WFH. My DSD is 5. She gets up in the morning herself and has her own alarm clock. She will go and make her own cereal then after breakfast brushes her teeth, gets washed, makes her bed and opens her blind and curtains. She mostly gets dressed herself, I will help with top buttons or anything she's struggling with.

We started this when she turned 5. I wanted her to be a bit more independent and be able to do these things for herself. I am obviously up and about while she's getting herself ready so it's not like she's just left to get on with it. It means I can get myself ready, make packed lunches etc. She does need a little nudge now and again.

When we first started this routine we used reward charts. She'd get a star for every task she completed and at the end of the week would choose a treat. Sometimes all she wanted was a doughnut haha! The simple things! She loved giving her self stars. We only used the chart for about 6 weeks before the novelty wore off and the morning routine was now second nature.

I allow an hour to get ready for school so we're not rushing about and there's still time for cuddles and watching Dora the explorer.

Oh dear, that does sound really hard. Any chance you can take a step back and let your partner take him? Not nice for you being hit.

Sounds very reminiscent of trying to get my DD into school. 2 days this week we missed the bus and had to get a taxi. And we were still late. So stressful. Solidarity - it is hard.

Why are you having to do it? Leave it to dad.