Last year our 4 year old, Braddoc, was diagnosed with Autism, more specifically Aspergers.
After MANY, MANY months of going through the process to get him an IEP (individual education plan) he finally was able to start preschool, in a Learning Center Classroom, in March.
The bus took him too and from Clinton Elementary school where he was in a class with 4 other boys.
He had 2 teachers, Mrs Lindsey and Mrs Annie, for all 5 boys, it was wonderful for him.
He was in the morning class and HATED riding the bus.
The bus drivers drive the special needs bus but some how don't have the first clue about special needs kids.
They once told me that Braddoc was covering his ears, shaking and telling them to please stop talking.
They told me that it was incredibly rude for him to ask an adult that.
I asked them more about the situation and they said that a little girl was screaming and that they were just ignoring her and talking because she wouldn't stop.
I immediately know why my son was acting the way he was.... he was massively overwhelmed and over stimulated.
I was so proud of him for actually using his words and asking them to stop talking, but because they don't really understand Autism they said he was being rude.
Sometimes my heart aches so much for the my little boy and for the hard journey that he is on.
I know that the Lord has special plans for him and that as hard and trying as it can be to be his mother, it is also so very rewarding. He teaches me so much every day.
I really love this little boy.
This whole new world of Autism can be overwhelming at times, so when Braddoc had his field day at school I was super excited to get to go hang out with him, and he was excited that A) I was going and B) he didn't have to ride the bus.
When I go with him to things like this, it almost sends his anxiety through the roof, so sometime I wonder if it makes it worse for him. I know that he loves it and that one day he won't remember how anxious it made him, he will just remember that I was there for him, so I keep going.
They had 5 stations and they met up with the regular education preschool class to go around to all the stations in groups of 3-4 kids. They had soccer, bean bag toss, frisbee, bowling, and badminton.
He had to back up and run to kick the ball.
It was so cute and so funny!
At the end of all the stations they all got together and played with the parachute.
I loved this game as a kid.
Braddoc seemed to really like it too.
But he got tired of it quickly.
The tongue hanging out of his mouth means he is having fun but also that he is getting overly anxious, because he is over stimulated. It was only a few minutes after I took this picture that he came running up to me very overwhelmed and begging me to leave.
I think its so cute when he has his tongue hanging out, but I also know it means he is struggling to keep it together.
After his chance to run through the parachute he was done for the day.
We went inside to eat popsicle's (it was cold and rainy).
Then we went outside to play on the monkey bars.
Braddoc is super good at the monkey bars and he is so proud of himself.
I loved watching him do the monkey bars.
He can make it all the way across the monkey bars and he has the blisters on his hands to prove it.
He is so proud of those bruises, its like a badge of honor for him.
Its funny because he cries at any boo boo, but he is proud of the blisters.
He had also started hanging off those monkey bars like a champ too.
His tongue also hangs out when he is concentrating on something.
Sometimes it hard to tell if he is anxious or concentrating.
This time I knew he was concentrating.
I had so much fun hanging out with him.
He loves mommy and Beibers time.
I love it too.
He is the most precious, loving little boy.
He is super cuddly, and kissy.
He is my sweet boy.
His teachers called him sweet boy too.
He is my baby doll.
I am so glad that I got to go and spend a few hours with him.
No comments:
Post a Comment