Insomnia!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2004
Insomnia!
1
Mon, 05-07-2007 - 4:04am

Dear Board People,

I'm so glad you are here. I can't sleep. I have too much going on.

Positive 1: I had my 3 year old's transition meeting to CPSE, and got every thing I wanted for my son. I think that the next year is crucial, because he is a handful, and he needs supports to not become the "bad" kid. He is getting 5 day a week half day special preschool with 12:1:1 ratio, transportation to it, 3 sessions of OT per week, 1 session of family trainer a week, and 5 1 hour sessions of SEIT at his day care. This plan is very much like his early intervention plan, but with more SEIT. I think that it is a very good plan, because my son has the "typical" peer interaction in day care, but gets extra support to expand his play skills there and handle the tranisitions wtih the SEIT. Also, the half-day theraputic nursery will give him a very structured couple of hours, which will give him the opportunity to be sucessful, since he does not tantrum in a very structured environment. (But it does tire him, which is why I think a half day is a good balance.) I also think that it allows movement either way for next plan; if he improves he can wean off the theraputic school and move to all intinerant services, or, if he can't handle day care with the SEIT support, we can move him into a longer school day.

I think three things made this go well. I did not ask for full day, which his reports support, I had a lot of attendees at the meeting representing my son, and I have a lawyer retained for his brother which had to be like the elephant in the room that nobody would talk about for the chair of the meeting. (Many other participants had no idea). The chair even called my preschooler my kindergarteners name once. Also, the family trainer spoke a lot about my children together, which provided some insight for the chair about life at home with my older child, who is coming up for his own meeting, abd who is different at home. That information is more credible when it does not come from me.

Positive 2: I had the best party ever for my son's 3rd birthday! He loved it. His participation was a little quirky, for example, he would not come out of a little tykes car for the cake ceremony, but, since he had the party at his own back yard, he was able to have his mom chase him with the cake and the candle. All of my son's little early intervention buddies have had their parties at various kids gyms. Played out and expensive. We broke the mold. Put our own toys in the back yard and partied the old fashioned way, and it was FUN!!! Since we hired petting animals and a pony, it was still expensive, but at least the money went to something fun. If it was at our local gym, they would have tried to get him to participate in circle games. He's got service plans for that. This was his birthday!

Stressor 1: Kindergarteners IEP is on May 16 (just got the date on Friday) and I am still not at peace with the neuropsych and still don't have a plan made with the lawyer. I have a tremendous amount of leg work to do. We might just ignore the neuropsych's report , but that represents thousands of wasted dollars. Literally. In addition, it may not be best to ignore the report, but better to re-phrase some of it. Part of what I have to do is speak to the arrogant evaluator to discuss that, and I am furious with him. But I think that there is some potential for common ground with him, and there is some potential that it would be the best thing for my son to do this, so I have to deal with the self-important, rude evaluator.

Stressor 2: Now that I had the CPSE meeting, I have to make lots of appointments to see schools and pick one for my 3 year old. The most sought after schools are waiting list and have very strict ways of getting on to them. (Will see child to assess if they have an appropriate program only on wednesdays at 10:32 if the Wednesday falls on an odd numbered date, for an exagerated example) and I work full time. The early intervention coordinator left a message on my cell phone on Friday, and I am sure that it was to remind me to rush to get on waiting lists and into schools.

So I just coasted this weekend. Threw a party, did not over-clean the house for it, and ingored special education plans. But I know that I have to get moving on Monday, thus, I can't sleep now. In fact, at this point, I may as well shower and start the day. I would have never imagined that this would be my future self 6 years ago, when I was 6 months preggo with my first. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but....

That's my life...my pity party...I need support, and welcome your positive thoughts while I do this work. Thanks for listening...

Sidney

Mom to two ASD cuties, 5 1/2 and 3.

APOV on Autism
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
In reply to: bsidney
Mon, 05-07-2007 - 10:04am

Sidney,


WTG on the party and the CPSE transition.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com