Back To School

It was so good to take Alistair back to school yesterday.....for him and ME! He was so excited as soon as we got in the elevator. He knew it was back. It was lovely. Then the last two days he's been smiling a lot and just obviously happy to be back at school. Warms a mamas heart. Honestly though I've been waiting for this day to come. Its been a great summer. I wanted him to stay home to brew a nice relationship between he and his sister. But the timing was perfect. Again its hard to be therapist and mom. It gets draining. I get tired. I get guilty of all the stuff I'm not doing and forget to look at everything I am doing. Plus Francis is just the right age now that while Alistair is in school her and I can really enjoy all the free programs in town. I was going to sign her up for several things but then she's still absorbing at such an incredible rate that she really doesn't need to have paid programs. The community here has so much to offer that I'll be pulling back on what we do do. I honestly feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. He's come so far. We were able to go out for an hour walk everyday, he's been riding weekly all summer. We got in several camping trips that he loved. Actually he thinks its great when we hit all the pot holes on the back roads. He's standing a minimum of an hour each day in his stander. He has a better floor sitter now. We were able to get in two sets of lesson with ABM therapy this summer. The list goes on. But funnily enough one thinks of all the things I didn't get to: keeping his glasses on, using the FM system for his hearing aid, getting him back into using his other hearing aid, using flash cards consistently, using object cues consistently, getting him to work with the computer switch games to enhance his communication on a consistent basis, putting hand splints on, stretching his arches in his feet, stretching his thumbs out, and the list goes on......I've just found one has to prioritize and let other things slide or you go completely mental. BUT all that being said that list of "haven't dones" are niggling at the back of my brain so I consistently feel like I should be or should've done better. So ya...all those magazine subscriptions haven't even been touched for months let alone a novel as as soon as I go for one I think of the "should be" list. So its so good for my brain for Alistair to start school again. Heather, Alistair's one on one support worker with him in the picture above, is fabulous. She was with him all last year so we can just pick up from where we left off. The consistency of school is great. Its a much smaller class. Eight rather then fourteen kids, less structure, more outside time, AND she feed him lunch. May not sound like a big deal but oooo to have to feed one meal less is blissful. BECAUSE each bite or drink is a flash card, a sign, holding up and patiently waiting for Alistair to make a choice which can be a good 10 seconds or more etc.....so ya so nice. Plus I think he's just as delighted to be away from Mom and have different stimulation rather then the same old same old. So everyone is super happy. Francis and I are spending most of the days this week in class with Alistair just to help with the transition and then we will ease off substantially next week. Gotta love it. The difference this year as well is he is in full time ie. five days a week from 9am till 2pm. Knowing Heather would be his support worker again this year I felt we can get Alistair into a really good routine that will help with his transition into kindergarten next year. YES KINDERGARTEN! Little Mr. Man is growing up. Anyhow, all in all its great timing and a great feeling for all. YAY US