Happy days

Well for the first time in a long time Beth’s enjoying going to school! I expected that it would never happen, especially as I hated school with a passion throughout my whole school life. I’m sure my whingey kids were sent to me as payback for the hell I would put my mum through each and every morning. I would scream so hard that when mum would eventually look at my throat it would be red raw so she couldn’t tell if I really was sick or not. I’d have weeks at a time off. I’m much more bitchy as a mother and I will threaten lots to make my kids go to school. Bill is the only one of my children who loves school so much that he even misses it during the holidays. Strange boy!

Anyway, I discovered this dirty little secret of Beth’s when she received an email from a school friend from last year. The girl had just sent one line which was rather sad. It said simply “Oh Beth, I miss you so much!” I think the reality of high school has hit and she longs for the simpler life of primary school, even for the simpler life of playing with Beth as only children and special needs people seem able to do. I made Beth write her back and she answered that she missed her friend too. She was going to just put this but I encouraged her to write something more, perhaps to tell the girl about school. She wrote simply “School is cool.” I was dumbstruck. Since when? I questioned her and she let me know, she does think school is cool. Yippeeeeee! Since then she hasn’t grumbled about going to school much at all. She still does the little coughs now and again but on the whole she has enjoyed going most days. She tells me what she’s doing on the day and smiles when she says goodbye in the mornings. It’s taken 10 long months but at last she’s happy.

I too am so happy with my choice. When I picked Beth up last week her teacher came out to see me to talk about her lack of traffic awareness. There is an awareness program that is offered to senior students, I guess for readiness for using public transport and being a bit more independant. She suggested that Beth started this earlier than most. I think Miss L was a bit relieved when I didn’t baulk at the idea that perhaps Beth may not be able to work independantly, I’ve known this all along but I guess it’s a touchy subject for many parents. As the school is for higher functioning kids it makes me feel even luckier to have gotten Beth in as I think she’s probably one of the most dependent kids there. I suggested that they give Beth a turn at working in the library sometimes to see if she enjoys it. As she loves books I thought it may be a good place for her to work, even if it is working for the pension. I guess if she’s not getting paid as such it wouldn’t matter too much if she was found lying on the floor reading the books once in a while!

Last week Beth brought home a Christmas wish list that she made. Unlike most high school students Beth still believes in Santa and they didn’t discourage it which is rather cute. The list reads as such : Dear Santa, I want a hot tub for Christmas, a Family Guy DVD, a cruise on the Disney fantasy, A Limo, Tickets to Universal Orlando Resort, A discoball, A rainbow, Muppet movies, a ticket to Unicorpia and money. I think perhaps the disco ball may be possible! As for the rest, yes please Santa, I’ve got my companion card ready!

About Sarah

Mother of an autistic child wanting to write about my personal experiences
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