Halos And Rainbows

GOOD LITTLE  GOAT

Hi everyone, this is where I tell you all about Goats School Days.

Week 5 of Autumn Term

I'm playing catchup so there's just over a week and next week I should be about to do it Friday afternoon weathere permitting, lol.

The Autism Nurse did not seem to appear last Thursday, apparently she observed Goat during Golden time and is coming to spend time with him on 31th to assess how much he understands compared to how much he parrots back.  He survived Thursday and Friday with mimimal fuss although still Not A Happy Chappy.  This involved taking his temper out on all of us - A Lot.  Saturday I took them to the local Animal Farm visitor Centre to get mugged by Pygmy Goats, lambs, Llamas, cow, pigs and various other sweeties, then we went into town to choose Birthday presents, even this didn't seem to really chear Goat up and there was a lot of attitude floating about, definately a Wild Goat.  He went to Grandma's Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours so she got to play Spot the Frustration too. 

 Tuesday was Goat's 8th birthday, he had presents before and after school, a Scooby-doo birthday cake, Chinese takeaway as requested for tea and a late night.  This seemed to chear him up.  In the afternoon I had a meeting with the school psychologist and they are finally agreeing that Goat needs some help.  He is joining a session for writing and numbers in December, and dependant on his Autism nurse assessment may receieve some more help or support on a regular basis.  The Government Statmenting Lady will try to fit him in Christmas time to re-assess his development too.  Hopefully he will get some one-to-one provision but as his work when they can make him comcentrate ong enough is good the problem is more behavioural although he is not disruptive.  They are struggling to find his exact needs, but they are finally starting to realise that being in Juniors is a little too much independance for him. As I was in school I made sure he got to craft club in one peice, no turning up at home.  The bus ladydecided however it was her turn to pick at him, after almost 2 years of putting him on the bus she prefers it when I pick him up as she has to help him with his money, even though I send the correct change, sigh.  My mum used to do that job and I know she used to help everyone.  Needless to say she will no longer be in charge of Goat as I will drive down to pick him up, today I had to wake Bear up to go fetch him, but he was ok.  Goat also managed to draw the fingers on some clock faces for different hours tonight for Grampy and I so we're on the way to teaching him to tell time and his writing is improving but it's hard work, making him do stuff he should be getting help with in school and I feel that although he enjoys it we may be being unfair.

There had been some bullying today, 1, pushed him over, 2 held him down and another was banging his head on the floor, the 4 involved later saw the headmaster, so hopefully something has been sorted out, must check whether they keep records of these incidents, hmmm.  Good job I keep mine.  Goat by the way seems fine about the whole thing, in case you thought I'd forgotten.

Well that's me done until next week, let's hope next week's happier for him.

Week 4 of Autumn Term

I know we're only on Wednesday but I need to do a bit of catch-up.  Goat had a lovely weekend as always, pootleing about at home doing cookery, gardening, playing out etc.

Then it was Monday again and off he went to school, where Camelion took his glasses and slapped his face and tummy.  We'd managed to find a few bits out over the weekend and he was a quite uphappy little Goat.

Tuesday, antelope tells Goat that he has to go on the bus home and is not allowed to go to craft club.  Antelope is not attending craft club until the next time as they do it for 5 weeks to enable them to fit everyone in with a nice sized group, she   probably thought she was helping. Goat crossed the road by himself and landed in Sunshine House way before I expected to go pick him up.  The problem, apart from the road crossing is of course that I may not have been in.   To make it worse, this means that Goat is over-excited for Beavers and spends the time for learning First Aid playing skids on the wonderful wooden floor that is just made for skidding on if you're 7 years old.  As it is the 3rd week of a 4 week trail, things are not looking good when he starts tapping a tune on the metal casings of the electric plug sockets, one of the leaders has to spend time trying to calm Goat down instead of spending time with his group.

Now it's Wednesday morning and having been berrated by his teacher as "You're not going to be late then" as I'm leaving the cloakroom I inform him that I'm on my way to playschool next and will be there by 9.20 as "Oh you've not already been then" he says looking at his watch, I tell him I will be trying my extreme best to be on time and leave in tears.  As I drive to playschool the radio tells me it is 10 past and I am in school by 9.18.  The meeting suprisingly goes quite well, even the bit where I tell the teacher how unapporachable he is and that having reduced me to tears twice this term I wonder how my son feels.  This is not an advisable course of practice, and I wouldn't recommend it but he really ticks me off.  we never really got as far as setting the IEP targets, but the Autism Nurse - promised for years is seeing Goat tomorrow.  The ressurection of the Speech Therapist is withheld, the Educational Psychologist is in on his Birthday - next Thursday afternoon and I need to meet with her.  The Statementing Lady will be assessing him again somewhere around Christmas, she sat in on the meeting and tried  hard to be objective. Last time he was assessed because it was so much fun he got about 90% in each section so as we all agree he is in no way unintelligent.  The problems are that he is socially inept (autism) clumsy (dyspraxia) and has an amazing lack of concentration (ADHD).  This leads to the problems with his work and social position in the class (especially when they've mixed classes together and he's lost all of his male friends but still has 3 or 4 of the girls from last year that spend time with him), he does not tend to be disruptive but can get frustrated and angry if the routine is not adhered to.   The problem for Goat is that regardless of his intelligence he needs help to stay on task and his year has 2 classroom assistants one of whom is already spending a lot of time with him and who takes the craft group so he loves her to bits.  All in all things are starting to look promising, maybe he will finally start getting the help he so rightly deserves and he will learn better social skills to enable him to make more friends.  Let's just hope that things are finally on the up for my Little Goat!

Week 3 of Autumn Term

Goat has a lovely weekend, helps Daddy pick up the new car and look after it, goes to the beach, park and Grandmas with Bear, Helps Grampy measure for  the new rabbit run, helps with the new bathroom and  gets to choose which film to watch with his take-away on Saturday evening.

Goat goes to Beavers on Tuesday and is allowed to stay, it is a 4 week trial but he's been given a tiny badge pin so it must be going well, he comes home happy and just like anyone else who's been running about and having fun for an hour, it's really lovely to see.  Then he goes out with Daddy in the new car to see Daddy's friend so he's a little late to bed but non the worse for it.

Goat has to play with Kangaroo or Kangaroo hurts Goats friends Cat and Leopard, he plays with Kangaroo because he doesn't want his feelings to be hurt even tho' he is in Goats words "the school bully" the child is 7 years old so that's quite an achievement. I have passed this information on to the school.

Goat is placed in a PE group and they have to throw and catch - brilliant fun if you're dyspraxic are with Cochroach and Terrapin and they don't throw to you and laugh at you.  Terrapin even sits on the same table in class and says nasty things or ignors Goat.  Cochroach was meant to have been sorted out for kicking and punching last week.  Frustrated Goat goes to the teacher who tells Goat he's buzy and to go back to his group. 

The next morning I ask the teacher about this.  I spoke to him 3 times before he acknowledged me and then he said "what is it?"  At that point, looking into his shirt buttons 2 inches from my nose I'm backing away and wanting to scream, run away or both.  I ask about the PE lesson and am told "you should come and see me after school not in a morning you're inconvenient now," I am infuriated and start to ask about the excess homework but he turns his back and walks away leaving his class standing in a line waiting to go inside.  I silently fume and cry my way home, this person is not going to treat my Goat like this.  I ring the receptionist, the head is not in. Eventually on Thursday I see the head.

We now have an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) review on Wednesday and I am promised no more excess homework, we have to wait with baited breath now.   The head is apparently completely in agreement with me, will try to sit in on the meeting and wants Goat to be happy and his needs met.  He feels the work should be tailored to his needs in such a way that he can complete, get a sense of achievment and want to learn more.  Let's hope we can get him so far on Goats side that there is some benefit  to Goats education.  I still say as long as Goat's happy, trying his best and not disrupting the others I'm not too worried.

After spendimg over an hour on yet another piece of work sent home to finish, on top of the required homework, I decide that Goat is never going to catch up, he cannot get his letters the right shape and has no idea where to start and finish.  More for Yummy Mummy to Magic better, sigh.  As always we spend time over the weekend on and off for a few minutes a time, doing handwriting, maths, etc in fun ways, but I am beginning to wonder whether this helps him, progression is very slow and I feel the school should get their finger out and help too. 

What would happen if his family didn't try to help him?  Are we doing him an disservice by trying to help as it's making the correct help harder to get?  I am going to have to fight for him to get the help he needs and deserves and I hope to be victorious.  I will keep writing down what happens in the hope that even one other family will push to get the help their Little Angels so rightly deserve.

Week 2 of Autumn term

After the excitement of Mondays meeting with the Headmaster Goat came home a bit happier Monday afternoon.  The bus thing has been sorted out for now, they both have to save their upset tempers to tell the head the next day.  The other childs science book is returned and although it takes well over an hour we do the work, much to Goats discust.  The completed workwook and the other childs book stay in the bag until Thursday.  Only to be replace by a different childs book on Friday for  that needs completing over this weekend, so tonight it was yet another hours work. so that is not sorted at all, but I am waiting for the Head to ring as promised.  Homework yep, I can do that- schoolwork - isn't that what they're for?

On a brighter note Goat went to Beavers on Tuesday evening and had a wild time, he can go up to Cubs for his birthday or wait for Christmas when a lot of them go up together, just depends on how he gets on during a 4 week trail.  Hopefully this is going to be good for him.   Kids club re-opens on a Thursday soon too and he enjoys that so I know he'll be ok there.

He's had a few paddies but one of the boys he plays with is a bit of a bully and has now been banned from the school field. effectively separting him from all their little group.  Goat and Llama have both had a much better week and maybe won't want to play with Kangaroo again.  This has to be a plus for the girls in their group too.

***

He's not having much fun at the moment, he went back to school on 6 Sept and  they've muddled the classes up so he only has 2 little girl friends and none of his little boy friends.

This is a catch-up of his new school term so far, today is only day 8.