Thursday, August 21, 2014

My anxiety builds...

September 2nd both kids start new schools. Arwen begins a full day kindergarten.  This makes me nervous for so many reasons. 
She must be taken to the potty every hour or so or she will pee her pants trying to get there. She struggles with using utensils to feed herself and is very picky about how food is presented.  She has never gone anywhere away from us more than half day preschool.

I know that once she settles into a routine she'll be fine. This is a mainstream school but she will be with a small group for special needs. She will get many sensory breaks,  have occupational therapy, speech therapy, and be included in social groups. These are all great things. My fears are the possibility of her being bullied by neurotypical children. ...And being labeled. This brings me to the dilemma if the Autism model school would be a better fit. I want her to feel as normal as possible and learn to fit in with neurotypical children.  So I've been battling internally for some time on the matter.
Next week she has to take the reading test. She'll nail that because she can read like a first grader. Then placement.  We go to the school orientation the next day. I truly hope she will adjust easily. I'm so scared for her. Then there's the issue of transportation.  They offer transportation with a special helper on the bus for her. I know I should trust these people,  but her complete lack of knowledge about where to go and what to do. ..coupled with her desire to run scares me to death.
Now the subject of Rowan.  This scares me even worse. He starts preschool on the same day as Arwen. I have not received any contact from the school. I have called and emailed and was told to wait.  This is a half day preschool with transportation included. I've debated on the transportation issue because my car is on it's last leg.  I suppose it would be a learning experience for them...but I'm still afraid. Rowan has never been away from home without me or his dad.  He is highly anxious around new people and places.  He panics easily and has sensory problems, especially sounds.  He is not potty trained. He barely communicates. This program will also offer occupational and speech therapy. 
Like I said before,  once a routine begins it will all be ok. I feel that I should be with him at first to transition him and also inform his teachers about his needs. The thing is....His third day I have to meet with his therapist. I know he'll panic. It makes me panic. I don't want to put him through that. I'm anxious to hear from the school about how all this will happen.  I'm anxious for an orientation and meeting his teacher.
I need to stop worrying.  I'm having a lot of trouble sleeping lately.
We also have to work in speech therapy,  occupational therapy, behavior therapy and developmental visits outside school on a weekly basis. It's a struggle fitting it in.
I am very much like them in that I need a schedule, routine,  and know what to expect or I get anxious. Without a schedule we just couldn't function.

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