It is May! I am hoping that adage is true…you know…April showers brings May flowers…
At the beginning of the month I try to get all my calendars to coincide with my datebook calendar. ( yes…I still have a datebook…something about the actual writing of stuff down feels soooo much better to me….) Jalil’s got a lot of stuff going on this month because this is his last year of middle school. We’ve got the fun stuff of parties, ceremonies, trips…good stuff. *sigh* my baby is growing up…
Last week we had his last IEP meeting…to get started on a plan for his freshman year. This time he opted to go for the meeting…usually he doesn’t but I am so glad he did. The counselors and I had originally thought a paraprofessional was not needed but now, we are thinking he does need one. At least for the beginning of the school year. Jalil spoke up…and very politely informed us that he did not want one. That he wanted to try it on his own….there was silence and then everyone looked to me.
Jalil does not handle changes very well…when he was first diagnosed (with not being able TO BE diagnosed….a LONG, hard story for another day) a doctor from the University had already started us in learning behavior modifications to help Jalil succeed. One of those modifications is to prepare him for every little detail that we can. The schools have done a lot in helping with this but I do a lot on the home front as well. Lately, what I’ve started doing is preparing him for the fact that life will and can change on you in a heartbeat and its best to just slow down, stay calm and have the courage to keep on. In this meeting…he did just that and it brought tears to my eyes…
He’s is so strong and he has the courage that took me years to develop.
And I let him know…right there in front of everyone (teenage embarrassment be damned!) how incredibly proud of him I was and how much I loved him. I respected his opinion but I asked him to listen to my opinion. After I gave it to him and the counselors added that the paraprofessional was not going to be glued to his side ALL the time (which I think that was what bothered him) and she would not be there for only him, he ‘relented’ and agreed. Kinda grown up of him I think ….
In any case…the month of May is going to be a rollercoaster and then some so I may be posted several times a day….bare with me, ya’ll….
At the beginning of the month I try to get all my calendars to coincide with my datebook calendar. ( yes…I still have a datebook…something about the actual writing of stuff down feels soooo much better to me….) Jalil’s got a lot of stuff going on this month because this is his last year of middle school. We’ve got the fun stuff of parties, ceremonies, trips…good stuff. *sigh* my baby is growing up…
Last week we had his last IEP meeting…to get started on a plan for his freshman year. This time he opted to go for the meeting…usually he doesn’t but I am so glad he did. The counselors and I had originally thought a paraprofessional was not needed but now, we are thinking he does need one. At least for the beginning of the school year. Jalil spoke up…and very politely informed us that he did not want one. That he wanted to try it on his own….there was silence and then everyone looked to me.
Jalil does not handle changes very well…when he was first diagnosed (with not being able TO BE diagnosed….a LONG, hard story for another day) a doctor from the University had already started us in learning behavior modifications to help Jalil succeed. One of those modifications is to prepare him for every little detail that we can. The schools have done a lot in helping with this but I do a lot on the home front as well. Lately, what I’ve started doing is preparing him for the fact that life will and can change on you in a heartbeat and its best to just slow down, stay calm and have the courage to keep on. In this meeting…he did just that and it brought tears to my eyes…
He’s is so strong and he has the courage that took me years to develop.
And I let him know…right there in front of everyone (teenage embarrassment be damned!) how incredibly proud of him I was and how much I loved him. I respected his opinion but I asked him to listen to my opinion. After I gave it to him and the counselors added that the paraprofessional was not going to be glued to his side ALL the time (which I think that was what bothered him) and she would not be there for only him, he ‘relented’ and agreed. Kinda grown up of him I think ….
In any case…the month of May is going to be a rollercoaster and then some so I may be posted several times a day….bare with me, ya’ll….
1 comment:
i hope you have a wonderful may!
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