Max goes back to school and the blog goes out the window!
Its been a bonkers time, really busy, too busy. Max has settled back into school really well and is really happy. Sadly it is everything around and out of school that fell apart . Its hard to get a balance.... there may be the odd day where all is rosy in life but this has mostly not been the case!
Max's emotional well being took a real bashing from the change, he wasn't eating well, skipping meals and only eating 1 part of his dinner at home. He stopped wanting his bath found going out at the weekends to do his favourite thing - shopping a real struggle (he was changing his mind and getting anxious)
Sadly after just a few weeks back at school Maxs home - school transport was suspended due to an incident, a behaviour that he has displayed on the way home from school ever since he has been travelling the long journey (best part 1 hour each way) escalated to the point this happened ........
Yes - he broke the car window, with his feet, with no shoes on....... Okay , what do you do?
Max had been showing a 5 min burst of high anxiety on the home bound journey for a year, started with him being silly, hitting the window with his hand or banging the roof of the car inside. In September when he went back they had changed his driver, nice change for the first day back!
The new combination of female driver just didn't work, his behaviour just got bigger, kicking , no apparent reason.
Max will not take any toys, ipads, games or distractions as he just doesn't associate them with school. His new teacher was trying hard to support the escort in distraction techniques for the 'hot spot moments' but it was all too late in the already behaviour riddled journey.......
Something else to feel guilty over, his school being so far away, the financial cost and battles to get him there in the first place as our borough have no provision for children with autism, dammit its crap!
So, we have pick up the pieces, literally
Maxs Dad doing a 2hr school run in the morning, me finishing work 2 hrs early every day to collect siblings when Dad collects Max, the cost in fuel has been a bit grim, my bank balance has been robbed. To add insult to injury I will need to have a word with the Education dept as they offer of payback for this will not cover the fuel costs at all..... BUT ...Max is so happy, this makes complete sense as why wouldn't he be! He goes to school with his Dad, its 'normal' he gets collected everyday with his ipad , cookies and the Monkeys Album to listen too (yes he wants the ipad in Dads car)
And he loves the Monkeys, big time retro boy he is ;-)
Guilt, that what I feel now as he is happy, we cant sustain the transport and he will need to be re introduced, its been 4 weeks , thats too long, hes happy and in a good routine. They don't have any male drivers / escorts..... watch this space I will update again!
Apart from that, Haircut, yes he had a haircut, not always the easiest to manage. Ive done the high street type where he kicks and spits because he wants to get out! Now he has our friend Cheryl (well its been her for years now !!) It works on the most part, this time he had his hair cut in his room, TV distractions
What else?
Oh, bubbles, he's got a winter load of bubbles - direct order from the warehouse
I walked a marathon ....9.35hrs overnight for cancer research - it hurt!
Thats it for now.... I finally got the Consultant Psychiatrist appointment tomorrow, that took 7 weeks, even Max putting his feet through a window couldn't speed that up !!
Almost forgot, managed to bag myself 2 roles at the charity that supports Max's school, I needed another job. No seriously its hard work BUT its for the kids is my mantra on this one, next June I will be completing a 29mile wlking challenge over the Brecon Beacons in Wales to raise money for this charity *yes I will hassle everyone to sponser me*
Urm.... ill be back ;-) if I survive work and 2 weeks of half term
And its goodbye from him
Bye
M x
